Ivory - The Different Colors, Shapes and Sizes

Ivory is one of the most well known materials that are used in high quality precious jewelry. It should be noted that Ivory is not a gemstone or a mineral from rock, it is an organic mineral created by certain mammals with specific types of characteristics. Following is some information on the different colors, shapes and sizes that Ivory is available in.

Ivory usually comes in two colors, white and whitish yellow, many people usually call it off white. The whiter the Ivory, usually the higher the price, usually Ivory can turn a tinge of yellow if it is an older piece, but for the most part, it is extremely exquisite and beautiful.

Ivory is created by a mammal that grows Ivory as their teeth and tusks. A tusk is a general term for any teeth that grows outside the mouth area. Some of the animals that produce Ivory are elephants, hippos, walrus’s, elks, wart hogs and even marine mammals such as the teeth of orca’s and sperm whales.

Ivory is very soft compared to hard gemstones and can be sculpted with just a steal knife, however it is very stable, so as long as you care for it properly it won’t shatter or fracture. The size of Ivory is really up to the animal that creates it. Usually the biggest specimens of Ivory come from bull Elephants. However, most of the time, select pieces such as pianos and statues are made from a few pieces of Ivory and not just one distinct piece.

How and Where is Ivory Formed and Found?

Ivory is an opaque white or yellowish white substance that is not a gemstone or mineral, it is actually organic in nature. Sometimes called an organic mineral, Ivory is extremely valuable and very attractive to the sight and to the touch. Ivory is usually garnered from elephants, walrus’s, extinct fossilized mammoths and hippos. It has been used to create ornamental jewelry, statues, billiard balls, bagpipes, buttons and piano keys.

The chemical structure of Ivory is consistent whether it comes from an elephant or hippo or any animal for that matter. While most people associate Ivory with elephants, the truth of the matter is that it can come from a variety of different mammals.

Ivory is created as a tooth or tusks of the above mammals; a tusk is another name for a tooth that sticks outside the mouth. Teeth include the structure of pulp cavity, dentine, enamel and cementum. The Ivory that is usually carved and used for jewelry purposes is mostly that of Dentine.

Ivory is made from pulp cavities that secrete Dentine. It should be noted that Dentine is calcite. This material can easily be carved with a steal knife and shaped into almost any kind of shape. Besides rings, beads, bracelets, many large objects have been made of Ivory and it has lead to almost the extinction of elephants and other mammals that produce it. Since 1989, there has been a world ban on Ivory, however Ivory that comes from Mammoth and already created jewelry is not included.