The facts
What walrus Ivory actually is
Walrus Ivory is classified as tusk dentine of Odobenus rosmarus, with a distinctive marbled secondary dentine core, with the composition Hydroxyapatite with collagen. It crystallises in the amorphous / fibrous system.
Colour comes from unpigmented; the mottled 'oatmeal' secondary dentine core is diagnostic, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.53-1.54. Specific gravity around 1.80-1.95. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where walrus Ivory comes from
Walrus Ivory is produced at Bering and Chukchi Sea coasts, Alaska, USA, Chukotka, Russia, Nunavut and Northwest Territories, Canada and Greenland.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How walrus Ivory is treated
CITES APPENDIX III (listed by Canada). In the USA the Marine Mammal Protection Act restricts harvest to Alaska Natives, and only items significantly altered by Native handicraft may be resold; fossil walrus ivory from beach and midden finds sits in a separate and more permissive category. Canada and Greenland regulate under their own Inuit harvest rules. Do not ship internationally without permits.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What walrus Ivory is confused with
In the trade walrus Ivory is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Mammoth ivory, Elephant ivory, Sperm whale tooth (CITES Appendix I) or Bone.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.53-1.54 and specific gravity 1.80-1.95 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What walrus Ivory is used for
Demand for walrus Ivory comes from carving and sculpture, mineral collecting and jewellery, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the block, by the specimen or by the carat.
Durability and care
Walrus Ivory is 2.5 on the Mohs scale, with none cleavage.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What walrus Ivory costs
As a guide, walrus Ivory trades around $30-300 per piece for legal Alaska Native carvings; fossil walrus rough $50-250 per kilogram.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is walrus Ivory treated, and how?
CITES APPENDIX III (listed by Canada). In the USA the Marine Mammal Protection Act restricts harvest to Alaska Natives, and only items significantly altered by Native handicraft may be resold; fossil walrus ivory from beach and midden finds sits in a separate and more permissive category. Canada and Greenland regulate under their own Inuit harvest rules. Do not ship internationally without permits.
Where does walrus Ivory come from?
Bering and Chukchi Sea coasts, Alaska, USA, Chukotka, Russia, Nunavut and Northwest Territories, Canada and Greenland. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is walrus Ivory hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 2.5 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does walrus Ivory cost?
Indicatively $30-300 per piece for legal Alaska Native carvings; fossil walrus rough $50-250 per kilogram. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is walrus Ivory confused with?
Most often Mammoth ivory, Elephant ivory, Sperm whale tooth (CITES Appendix I) and Bone. A refractive index of 1.53-1.54 and a specific gravity near 1.80-1.95 separate it quickly.
What is walrus Ivory used for besides jewellery?
carving and sculpture and mineral collecting. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for walrus ivory?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about walrus ivory