The whelk might be the secret to how the Native Peoples produced as much wampum as they did. In the world of gem materials, wampum, with its deep purple swirls blending into a white background, is in a class with pearls, precious coral, and amber. Another virtue is scarcity. Only a handful of crafters have mastered the art of making wampum and have the fortitude to produce it on a regular basis. Still another virtue of wampum is versatility.
Jewelry designers combine wampum with gold, amethyst, sapphires, tanzanite, and diamonds.
They inlay wampum shell with coral, turquoise, mother of pearl, and sugilite. Wampum is hard, durable, and takes a high polish. A first class gem. Be sure to see some of the jewelry. Wampum's Native Heritage Rhode Island's Narragansetts, according to Roger Williams, were virtual minters of wampum.