Spiny Oyster Shell is a shell that is harvested in Baja California. It comes in a variety of bright oranges, deep purples, rich reds, and in some rare cases, a bright yellow. The yellow is usually found in the purple shells. There is also a species of spiney oyster shell from the Philippines. This shell is a much smaller shell and it is a bright orange color. Since it is a small shell, the color layer is very thin so beads cannot be produced from this shell like they can from the Baja variety. It is mainly used for inlay and smaller cabochons. The Pueblo Indians have been using this shell for hundreds of years. They would get them from the coastal Indians who they would trade with. One of their classic designs was an orange or red shell overlaid with turquoise, black jet, and other stones they could get their hands on. This shell is still available.