Hawaiian wedding bands: styles, sizing and what to look for

A Hawaiian wedding band is a gold ring, usually 4 to 8 mm wide, hand-engraved with a Hawaiian motif, most often maile or scroll, and sometimes set with a channel of koa wood. Maile is the traditional choice because lei maile is the lei worn at weddings in Hawaiʻi. Couples usually choose the same design and metal for both rings, often in two widths. Because a wedding band is worn every day for decades, the karat, solid construction, hand engraving and an accurate size matter more here than on any other piece.

Where the style comes from

Hawaiian heirloom jewelry began with engraved gold bracelets in the Victorian style, worn by Hawaiian royalty in the 1860s, and couples have long exchanged heirloom bracelets at weddings. The engraved wedding band carries that tradition onto the ring finger. Our guide to Hawaiian heirloom jewelry has the history and sources.

The main styles

Maile. A band of paired leaves cut all the way round, after the open-ended lei maile given at weddings. It is the most traditional Hawaiian wedding motif and reads clearly at every width.

Scroll. The flowing engraving that frames the name on an heirloom bracelet. A scroll band reads as classic heirloom jewelry and suits anyone who wants a traditional look without a specific symbol.

Plain with an engraved edge. A polished centre with scroll or a fine border cut along each edge. A quieter choice, and a good match for a fully engraved partner ring.

Koa inlay. A channel of Hawaiian koa set between two gold rails, with the rails engraved. Every piece of koa has its own grain, so a pair will be close but not identical.

Other motifs. Naupaka, the half-flower, is given for love across distance. Plumeria and honu also appear on wedding rings. Our guide to symbols and meanings explains each.

Metals. 14k yellow, white and rose gold are the usual choices. Couples often mix colours, one white and one yellow, in the same design.

How to choose

Widths for a pair. 4 mm sits well beside an engagement ring. 6 mm is the middle ground and the width most people choose. 8 mm is bold. The two rings do not need to match in width to look like a pair. Our wedding band width guide goes through it.

Size. Both of you should be sized by a jeweler, ideally in a band of similar width, at the end of the day when hands are warm. For 6 mm and wider, many people go up half a size. A comfort-fit inside slides over the knuckle more easily and makes a wide band easier to wear every day; comfort fit explained shows why. Our ring size guide and the full size guide have the charts.

Engraving. Most couples engrave a date, initials or a short line inside. A Hawaiian word such as Kuʻuipo, my sweetheart, or Mau loa, forever, is a common choice; it should carry the ʻokina and kahakō where they belong. Our engraving guide shows what fits on each piece, and Hawaiian words for engraving has meanings and spellings.

Timing. Leave room for sizing, the proof, making, shipping and a possible resize before the wedding. Two to three months is comfortable for most made-to-order bands.

Price. Width, finger size, karat and construction decide how much gold is in each ring. Our guide to what Hawaiian jewelry costs covers the rest.

Quality checks before you buy

• Karat stamp. Look for 14K, 585 or similar inside the band. In the US, a quality stamp is meant to sit next to the maker’s name or trademark.
• Solid, not hollow. Some light bands are hollow or hollowed out inside. They bend and wear through sooner, which matters for a ring worn for decades. Under the FTC’s Jewelry Guides, a hollow band should not be called solid.
• Plated or filled. “Gold plated”, “gold filled” and “gold tone” describe a thin gold layer, or only a colour, over another metal. They are not suitable for a ring worn every day.
• Weight. Ask for the gram weight. It is the fairest way to compare two bands of the same width and size.
• Hand or machine engraving. Hand-cut maile and scroll are bright, deep and slightly varied, and they wear gracefully. Machine and laser engraving is shallow and perfectly even, and it softens sooner.
• Where it was made. A band sold as “made in Hawaii” in the state must be made there with most of its value added there. Ask where it was formed and engraved.
• Resize and warranty. Ask how far the band can be resized and what the warranty covers. Fingers change over a marriage.

Care

Take your band off for swimming, the gym and heavy work, and clean it with warm water and mild soap. Koa inlay should only be wiped with a soft dry cloth. Engraving softens slowly with years of wear, which many people come to love; a jeweler can recut it if you want it crisp again. Our care guide and koa and shell inlay care have more.

What we make

We make two wedding bands, both made to order and engraved by hand at our bench in Hawaiʻi. The Maile Wedding Band is solid 14k yellow, white or rose gold in 4, 6 or 8 mm, in maile, scroll or plain with a scroll edge. The Koa Inlay Wedding Band sets Hawaiian koa between 14k gold rails in 6 or 8 mm, with maile or scroll. Both have a comfort-fit inside and come in US sizes 3 to 15, including half sizes. Add one to your cart and choose Add a matching band to order the pair.

We send a proof with both sizes and any engraving before we start. After delivery there is one free resize within 30 days where the design allows, a one-year workmanship warranty, and free shipping within the US. If your date is close, add it as a needed-by date in the cart.