Hawaiian Jewelry
The era of the Hawaiian Monarchy elaborates the origin of this jewelry. There exists a history behind the origin of this beautiful jewelry. This exquisite black-enamel jewelry became famous after the death of Prince Albert in 1862, when the Hawaiian princess 'Liliu Loloku Walania Kamakaeha' extensively used this jewelry. The famous Hawaiian jewelry, found in the North Yorkshire Coast near Whitby, is made of black jet (stone) or the enamel, and carved with floral, vine or scroll designs. This enamel is often seen in the form of brooches, rings, pendants and bracelets.
The original Hawaiian jewelry, which is now thought of as the 'Hawaiian Heirloom Jewelry', represents the Royal Family Heritage. The Heirloom jewelry comprises nature's beauty, namely flowers. These were crafted from puka sheet (shrubs), cowrie shells, feathers, corals, seeds, shark teeth and whale ivory. The modern styles highlight the use of sparking gold, sterling silver, genuine pearl, making use of a wide range of colors, like dyed colors and various freshwater pearls.
Various Designs Used in Hawaiian Jewelry
The most common designs used in this type of jewelry are the floral ones, mainly the Hawaiian Plumeria (also known as 'frangipani'), found in plenty on the Hawaiian islands; and the Hibiscus (China Rose). Many designers use a variety of Hawaiian ferns and various other plants as their jewelry designs. One may also come across the Hawaiian sea life that incorporates the lifestyle of the Hawaiian island. These sea life designs include the Hawaiian dolphin, Hawaiian Honu, the humpback whale, the Hawaiian monk seal, seashells, angelfish, starfish, swordfish and various varieties of Hawaiian fish endemics. This culture also includes designs of native animals like the good luck lizard (gecko), as well as fish hooks, Hawaiian slippers, warrior helmets, t-shirts, etc.
The Hawaiians experiments on various materials and the 'Kahiko' collection is one of them. This collection is basically the mix of the traditional Hula Dancing themes and the engraving techniques that contains artistic hand-carved work, and focuses on the frangipani flowers, maile leaves, coconut palms, hula girls, hula skirts, and various musical instruments of the Hawaiian culture. Though the wedding lei is considered to be a decent piece of Hawaiian jewelry, the Hawaiian Plumeria is graded as "the most important" amongst the wide range of designs.
Hawaiian Jewelry and its Luxuriant Styles
In addition to the beautiful flora and fauna, the Hawaiian islands are also reflected in the collection of its exquisite jewelry items. The range of styles includes bangles, bracelets, dazzling necklaces, body jewelry, anklets, pendants, rings, toe rings and many other fashionable items.
Tips for Handling the Hawaiian jewelry
To manage your dazzling jewelry and maintain it in its original state for years, you need to clean it at regular intervals. Here are some tips to care for your precious jewelry.
- Polish the jewelry with the jewelry cleaner available in the market.
- Do not dip the jewelry in any kind of solution as it may damage the shine of the product.
- Jewelry that is made from silver should be carefully protected from getting tarnished, that is caused mainly due to prolonged exposure to air.
- Store this beautiful jewelry in separate cases, and handle it with care.
