From watches to gin, abalone treasure mollusc

More than a shellfish, a multi-faceted treasure used from cooking to jewelry up to origami and gin. It is abalone, also known as ‘ear of the sea’ or ‘ear of Venus’, one of a kind and highly sought after mollusc with a price that is not exactly affordable for everyone. Firmly anchored to the rocks in its mother-of-pearl shell, the ear of the sea lives at a variable depth up to 15 meters along the coasts of the Mediterranean – in particular in eastern Sicily -, of Africa, Australia, New Zealand , the Pacific Islands and the western coasts of North America, as well as the Channel Islands. Strongly attached to the rock, the mollusk is difficult to capture as well as at risk of extinction due to the ever increasing demand, which makes it even more valuable. But for what reason? Because it is not only the meat that is interesting, but also the iridescent casing. The shells of abalones are in fact appreciated in the manufacture of both jewelry and musical instruments, such as acoustic guitars, but also used for the making of the dials of some Rolex models such as the Datejust II, while their pulp is often used in cuisine by great chefs for highly sought-after dishes, even in the production of a Sicilian gin – the Spirt of Abalone – and in China, where for centuries the dishes based on abalone have also been a symbol of a high social status. But it doesn’t end there: after earrings, pendants and guitars, the ear of the sea is also the protagonist in Japan for a millenary tradition: a thin strip of dried abalone used in the ‘noshi’, a decorative origami considered auspicious.