Organic Gems

This is a list of items called organic gems:  pearls, shell (mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell), coral, ivory, amber, and jet.  Found on land and underwater, these gems are formed by the biological processes of living organisms.  Interestingly, pearls are the second best seller of gems after diamonds.

Some secondary organic gems are tagua nuts, dinosaur eggs and shark teeth.  A tagua nut is a dried seed pod found in the rain forests of Ecuador.  These gems are used commonly to make jewelry.

Organic gems are soft and porous and can scratch easily.  They can also absorb chemicals like hair spray, perfume and cosmetics.  Because of this, they should not be worn during vigorous activity.  These gems should not be stored in closed containers for long periods of time.