Why choose Pounamu?
Every piece, unique
Pounamu comes straight from nature, found in the beautiful rivers of New Zealand. It is rare, and every piece is unique. Only when you cut the stone are its unique properties, patterns and details revealed. Some pounamu is dark and rich, others are vibrant, while flower jade has glorious golden-yellow hues that run through the stone.No two pieces of pounamu are identical, making your gift truly one-of-a-kind. We believe this uniqueness makes it something incredibly precious.
Handcrafted with love
Our artists are deeply connected to Pounamu and love spending time in their workshop, carving life into stone. They work carefully with their hands, designing and shaping the piece as the stone speaks to them. This means when you choose pounamu as a gift, you select craftsmanship centred around love and consideration.Our pieces come with a fold-out artist profile card to learn more about the hands that made your piece.
A gift that will last
We say our pieces are ‘carved for generations’, and we mean just that. When a piece is worn by someone close to their heart, it takes on their mauri (life force or essence) over their lifetime. Then, it can be passed on to someone else, who will add their essence and spirit to the stone. And so, the cycle continues, with each wearer building the legacy, stories and significance of the piece.Our pieces are created to be loved forever and to last forever. In a world where gifts lack permanence, is there anything more beautiful?
Forever connected with a loved one
When you choose pounamu, you are making more than a purchasing choice. Instead, you are connecting with someone in a way that will forever unite you. Traditionally, pounamu is gifted between friends and family to represent a deep and meaningful connection and symbolise love that will last forever. Pounamu keeps loved ones connected, regardless of where life takes them.
Supporting local artists
When you buy from Mountain Jade, you are supporting local NZ artists, based here in Aotearoa. Our team of jade carvers is spread across the country, with many artists working from their home studios in Hawkes Bay, Hamilton, Tauranga, and Auckland, as well as Hokitika and Greymouth on the West Coast of the South Island.We also have a team of seven carvers in our Mountain Jade Rotorua Studio, including renowned NZ artists Tamaora Walker and Akapita Scally.
Steeped in meaning and stories
Our pounamu designs are steeped in meaning and inspired by the art, culture, and beauty of New Zealand. Many pounamu meanings stem from historical accounts of Māori life and the rich mythological and spiritual beliefs that Māori hold. A Toki is worn as a symbol of strength, while a Koru depicts life, growth and new beginnings. This means you can deliver a sentiment or story with the pounamu you choose as a gift.
Our pieces come with a mini meaning card that speaks about the design.
A connection to Aotearoa. Home.
Whether you were born here or have some other connection to this beautiful land, it's hard to think of a better way of connecting to this place than wearing a piece of New Zealand that never has to leave you. It's no wonder that so many Kiwis travel the world and never remove their pounamu pendant. A piece of home, forever with them.
Sustainable packaging
We consider every element we use when packing your piece. From sustainable materials to meaningful details such as artist profile cards. Your piece will come in an environmentally friendly jewellery box that is made from cardboard, includes no plastic, and can be recycled. Your jewellery box will then be securely placed in a low-ink, recyclable card shipping box (used to protect the piece in transit).
To ship your piece, we’ve opted for home compostable shipping mailers by r3pack, that are made from plants and plastic-free. For our international customers, we have also chosen to use DHL’s GoGreen Plus services as part of our commitment to aiming towards Climate Neutral Shipping.
Premium gift wrapping
We offer a Premium Gift Wrapping service for only $6.95 (includes all items in your cart). We understand that when you gift something so special, it may be important to you that the person receiving it has the full gift experience.Your gift will be wrapped in eco-friendly premium kraft wrap with jute ribbon, and a personal hand written message of your choice.
