Maya Blue Mexican Abalone | Capo

We recently had the opportunity to acquire a stunning blue abalone shell from Mexico, and the natural rippling and depth of color immediately stood out to us. We named this design “Maya Blue” after the brilliant blue pigment created centuries ago by the ancient Maya civilization. During the 17th Century, celebrated European painters like Michelangelo, Merisi da Caravaggio, and Peter Paul Rubens relied on rare ultramarine pigments made from lapis lazuli imported from Afghanistan — a material once valued higher than gold itself. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic in New Spain, artists such as José Juárez, Baltasar de Echave Ibia, and Cristóbal de Villalpando filled their colonial Baroque masterpieces with rich, vibrant blues. How could this be, when lapis lazuli was even rarer in the New World? It wasn’t until the middle of the 20th Century that archaeologists discovered the Maya had developed their own resilient and brilliant blue pigment centuries before colonization. The shimmering tones of this rare Mexican Abalone reminded us of that same luminous color — vibrant, timeless, and deeply rooted in history. You can read more about this remarkable color created by the Maya and its fascinating history here.