Agoya

This is a generic name for shell material that is very similar to mother-of-pearl, but often with slightly more coloration, particularly when taken from the nacre of large (up to 8) oysters found in Baja in the Gulf of California. Some agoya may look a lot like a type of abalone, with hints of many colors deep within the surface when turned at different angles to a light source. Tahiti agoya is more of a silvery-blue color. Agoya can look quite dramatic when used as an inlay material on the surfaces or fingerboards of acoustric or electric guitars. Historically, agoya was used by the ton to make buttons.