Why 'Turritella'?

One question I get asked frequently is how I settled on ‘Turritella’ as a name for my business. The answer is a long one.

‘Turritella’ is the name of genus of marine snail. These snails have lovely spired shells and their name is derived from the same Latin base that gives us words such as ‘turret’ and ‘tower’. There are many species of Turritella, but I was particularly fascinated by the fossil shells that are found in ‘Turritella Agate’*.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elimia_tenera

I grew up on the north coast of British Columbia, and for as long as I can remember I have loved agate. My grandfather on my mother’s side (who I never had a chance to meet) was born on Haida Gwaii. Haida Gwaii is one of the most starkly beautiful places I have ever had the chance to visit, and it is as well known for its mossy forests as it is for the fantastic agates that wash up on the beaches.

When I was young, I went on a trip to Haida Gwaii with my Nan and my mother, and we stayed at a fancy bed and breakfast near Towhill. My great grandparents were some of the English settlers who came to Canada to farm a homestead on the islands. The area they claimed is now part of Naikoon Provincial Park, near Rose Spit on the north eastern tip of Graham Island.

During this visit, the owner of the bed and breakfast took us out along North Beach in his pickup truck to see what remained of the homestead. A small meadow was all that was left of the farming effort, and the traces of the house had melted into the moss and salal.

When my ancestors moved from Haida Gwaii, my great grandmother returned wheel barrows full of agates to the ocean, retaining only a handful of the impressive agate collection she had amassed over years of walking North Beach.

One of the aspects that drew me to agates was their translucent character and colour banding. My fascination with colour and light is also what drew me to enamel. It seemed natural to name my jewellery business after a type of agate. The fossil name was a way to tie my scientific background and love of the ocean into my artistic business, and quietly poke fun at the slow, meticulous practice that is enamelling.

*Before I get pounced on by the scientists in the room, I should clarify that ‘Turritella Agate’ is the common name of the fossil lapidary rough, and while it contains fossils that look similar to Turritella species, they are likely species of the fresh water Elimia snail. That being said, the name ‘Turritella Agate’ is common in the Lapidary crowd, whereas ‘Elimia Agate’ may raise eyebrows even if it is technically more correct.