STUNNING ONE OF KIND GEM GRADE FLAWLESS AUSTRALIAN NEPHRITE SUBTLE GOLDEN EDGED BLUE GREEN JADE MAORI HEI TOKI PENDANT hand carved and perfectly finished with a PERFECT SATIN FINISH by New Zealand Master Carver Andrew McGregor. This outstanding, elegant art piece is a traditionally bound Hei Toki adze. The diagonal blade edge has been left natural but smoothed and this adds to the beauty of the piece, It measures 2″ long with a 7/8″ width at the blade edge a bound and suspended on a superstrong natural beautifully hand braided waxed adjustable cord. Comes with a certificate of authenticity.

Pounamu is found only in the South Island of New Zealand. Because of this, the island was originally named Te Wāhi Pounamu (the place of pounamu), but over time this name changed to Te Wai Pounamu (the greenstone waters). No other jade should be classified as pounamu as it is a Maori name for the stone. – there are ten main types of pounamu:

 

Arahura – a dark velvet green

Inanga – pale blue or green – can be opaque or translucent

Totoweka – a rare type – streaked or spotted with red

Kahotea – dark green with darker inclusions

Kawakawa – rich leaf green sometimes with dark freckling

Kohuwai – a misty grey blue with vivid bright green – like moss in a stream.

Kokopu – sometimes called troutstone – silver or golden green with brown freckling

Kahurangi – emerald clear green sometimes with white feathering – highly prized

Raukaraka – called Flower Jade – varied greens with gold/orange blooms

Tangiwai – bowenite – found only in certain areas of Aotearoa NZ – dark blue/green – exceptional translucence.