Hawaiian jewelry guides
Plain answers to the questions we hear most at the bench and at markets: what things cost, what the motifs mean, and how to choose and size a piece.
- Size guide
Ring sizes in US, Japanese and millimetres, bracelet sizes, and a printable sizer.
- Engraving guide
What fits, which characters you can use, and Hawaiian words to consider.
- Hawaiʻi jewelry makers
A directory of jewelers and shops in Hawaiʻi.
Prices
- What Hawaiian jewelry costs
What drives the price of Hawaiian heirloom jewelry, how to compare two listings fairly, the red flags to watch for, and when paying more is worth it.
By type
- Hawaiian bracelets: styles, sizing and what to look for
Hawaiian heirloom bracelets explained. Bangle, cuff and link styles, widths, motifs and lettering, how to size one, and how to check the gold.
- Hawaiian rings: styles, sizing and what to look for
Hawaiian heirloom rings explained. Engraved bands, name rings and koa inlay, widths and motifs, how to size one, and how to check the gold.
- Hawaiian pendants: styles, sizing and what to look for
Hawaiian heirloom pendants explained. Motifs, name and tag pendants, sizes and chains, engraving on the back, and how to check the gold.
- Hawaiian earrings: styles, metals and what to look for
Hawaiian heirloom earrings explained. Studs, hoops and drops, motifs, posts and backs, metals for sensitive ears, and how to check the gold.
- Hawaiian wedding bands: styles, sizing and what to look for
Hawaiian wedding bands explained. Maile and scroll, koa inlay, widths for a pair, sizing, timing, and how to check the gold before you order.
Motifs and meanings
- Fish hook (makau) jewelry: meaning, styles and what to look for
What the makau, the Hawaiian fish hook, means on jewelry, its link to Maui and Mānaiakalani, the common styles, and what to check before you buy.
- Hawaiian jewelry symbols and meanings
What maile, plumeria, honu, naupaka, hibiscus and scroll mean on Hawaiian jewelry, where each comes from, and how to choose one.
- Hawaiian scroll jewelry: meaning, styles and what to look for
What Hawaiian scroll engraving is, where it comes from, the classic heirloom styles, and how to tell real hand-cut scroll from machine work.
- Hibiscus jewelry: meaning, styles and what to look for
What the hibiscus, Hawaiʻi's state flower, means on jewelry, which hibiscus is the official one, the common styles, and what to check before you buy.
- Honu jewelry: meaning, styles and what to look for
What the honu, the Hawaiian green sea turtle, means on jewelry, the common styles, and how to buy a honu piece that is solid, well made and legal.
- Maile jewelry: meaning, styles and what to look for
What the maile lei means on Hawaiian jewelry and wedding bands, the common styles, and how to judge a hand-engraved maile ring or bracelet.
- Naupaka jewelry: meaning, styles and what to look for
What the naupaka half-flower means on Hawaiian jewelry, the legend and its versions, the common styles, and what to check before you buy.
- Plumeria jewelry: meaning, styles and what to look for
What plumeria (pua melia) means on Hawaiian jewelry, how it came to Hawaiʻi, the common styles, and how to tell solid, hand-engraved work.
- Whale tail jewelry: meaning, styles and what to look for
What a whale tail means on Hawaiian jewelry, the koholā (humpback whale) in Hawaiʻi, the common styles, and how to buy one that is solid and legal.
Buying, sizing and care
- Choosing a wedding band width
How 4, 6 and 8 mm wedding bands look and fit, how width affects ring size, and how couples choose widths for a matching pair.
- Comfort fit explained
A comfort-fit ring has a rounded inside that slides over the knuckle and feels less tight. How it differs from a flat inside, and how it affects size.
- Hawaiian words and phrases for engraving
Hawaiian words for rings, bracelets and pendants, with meanings, simple pronunciation and character counts against our engraving limits.
- How our proof approval works
Before we make anything, we show you your piece, size and engraving to approve. How approval, changes, reminders and the 7-day auto-proceed work.
- How to find your ring size
Measure your ring size at home or with a jeweler, convert between US sizes, Japanese 号 and millimetres, and allow for wider bands.
- How to measure for a bracelet
Measure your wrist, add half an inch for a comfortable fit, and choose a bracelet size from 5.5 to 8.5 in (14 to 21.6 cm). Inches and centimetres.
- Koa wood and shell inlay: care and what to expect
How to look after koa and shell inlay jewelry, what changes with wear, and what natural variation in grain and colour means for your piece.
- What is Hawaiian heirloom jewelry?
Hawaiian heirloom jewelry is hand-engraved gold with scrollwork, island flowers and a name. Its Victorian-era history, motifs and how it's made.