KOA WOOD JEWELRY

I think I must be Going Crazy!

I Work at a Jewelry Store and almost never, ever Buy Jewelry anywhere else.

It’s almost Stupid to do so. After all, I can get Jewelry from our Vendors at Cost. So why would I pay Full Retail Price?

Because I’m Crazy, I tell you!

I Bought Jewelry while I was on Vacation in Maui just this Past Week. A lot of it!

Why?

Because I Fell in Love with Koa!

I’m at Whaler’s Village (Same place as where I bought the Exclusive Pandora Maui Beads) and I see in one of the Store’s Windows this Beautiful Display of Wood Jewelry…

What Cool Pieces!

I walk into the Store to have a closer look… Bad move!

I fell in Love with the Koa Wood immediately!

Koa Wood is Exclusive to only 2 locations in the Entire World: Maui (where I was), and Hawaii (the Big Island which I’ve also Vacationed at).

My Heart Sank. I know I was really Tempted. It’s Native Wood Exclusive to only here on the Islands. How could you not love it?

I could feel my Bank Account Shrinking already.

I knew I wanted to Buy one of these unique items from Maui… I usually buy some kind of Small Jewelry, a Ring, a Pendant, a Bracelet, something to remember my trip by… and this sure fit the bill.

I love it here on the islands and want to take a piece of it home, back to the dreary, dull state that I live in.

I just never knew I’d take so much!

Koa Wood

The lady tells me that the Koa Wood Species is a Large, very Ornate and very Odd Shaped Tree. It can grow very tall, up to 98 feet under the right conditions. That’s HUGE! She also says that they make Canoes and Ukuleles and Surfboards out of this Wood.

This is what the tree looks like…

Crazy eh?

But wait until you see the Grain… Take a peek…

That’s Gorgeous!

Koa comes in a Variety of Colors from Light to Dark, and the Richness of the Wood is Spectacular. I’m in love!

I couldn’t stop staring at it. In fact, all of my friends were gawking at the pieces.

Na Hoku had Rings, Bracelets, Pendants, Cuff Links, Tie Pins, Money Clips and Watches (I just looked at the Men’s stuff).

I tell you, I wanted it all! lol

My eyes were drawn to a Stunning Koa Wood Fish Hook Pendant. AWESOME!

It was Eye Candy and it really HOOKED me. Plus, it was set in Stainless Steel! I love Stainless Steel. It Never Tarnishes, Fades, Erodes, and is Extremely Durable and Hypoallergenic!

So what was the Price of this Pendant?
The Fish Hook was just $129 + Hawaiian Tax (4.166%).

SOLD!

I didn’t think twice. I bought the Pendant and was happy as can be.

I was also looking at their Rings as well, and really loved one, but it wasn’t set in Stainless Steel, it was Sterling Silver Rhodium Plated. Not something I would Buy! Especially at that Price!

If I’m Spending Good Money on an item, I want it to look good and last forever!

The Lady says that Koa Wood Jewelry has just become Popular in the last couple of years or so, and that they are still Testing out the Market, hence the reason for some of the items being Silver.

They did have one Stainless Steel Koa Ring for Men, but it was a Darker Koa wood and not very eye catching. I like the Lighter Richer Koa, which is Brighter and shows off more of the Grain and Detail of the Wood.

So I bought the Pendant and went on my merry way.

5 Hours Later…

5 Hours later I’m down Front Street in Lahaina and I’m browsing through all the wonderful little shops along the water… and of course I head into the Jewelry Stores to find me a Koa Wood Ring to match my Pendant. Of course!

I find one at a store called “The Sea of Jewels“. It’s simple. One Strip of Koa Wood all the way around and it’s set in a Tungsten Comfort Fit Band. Even Better! Tungsten is the most Durable Metal you can Buy, and Comfort Fit makes it very Comfortable to Wear. Awesome!

And the best part of it… It was only $99.

SCORE!

It looks Great. It fit Great. The Price is right… I bought it and haven’t taken it off since.

As I wander all the shops along the way, I notice Koa Wood everywhere. Bracelets, Rings, Jewelry Boxes, Door Stops, Earrings, Pendants, Wall Art, Carvings, Tikis… You name it!

Here’s a little Bracelet made of Koa that was Cute and Dirt Cheap…

Here’s a bunch of Koa Wood Rings I found…

So at the end of the day, I have a Ring and a Pendant and am Quite Happy and Content…

It’s Not Over Yet…

Another 5 days go by…

I’m back at Whaler’s Village, I just went there to have Breakfast (The Fried Stuffed French Toast at the Maui Fish and Pasta Restaurant IS TO DIE FOR!)…

And here I am, walking the shops again and browsing the Jewelry.

Where do I end up?

Martin and Macarthurs!

OMG! Talk about Koa Wood Heaven!

Their Entire Store is Wooden items… Rings, Watches, Earrings, iPhone/iPad Cases, Christmas Ornaments, Bookmarks, Wall Hangings, Chess Sets, Toothpick Holders, Bowls… everything but the Kitchen Sink (that I saw).

It truly is a Spectacular Sight to see. Classy Stuff!

(Even though they kept looking at me like I was going to steal something)

I am drawn to the Wood Watches on Display. I try them on. WOW! Some were one color, some two-tone, others were Multiple Colors and Shades from Light to Dark.

I was Drooling!

They were soooo cool. And they felt so Light and Smooth.

The lady says that the Watches I was looking at were made of Different Sustainable Woods (from Africa), that were very Durable and Water Resistant.

They have a Citizen Movement, she says.

It was so Sleek and Comfortable on my Wrist…

The watch I picked out matched my Koa Wood Ring so well. Take a look at the Splendid Beauty…

What am I doing? I thought to myself. I’m really Contemplating Buying this Watch. Trust me, when I Buy Jewelry on Vacation, it’s normally Cheap Stuff, maybe up to a hundred or so… Nothing like this!

This Particular Wood Watch that I loved was $196.00.

But then again, some of the other Wood Watches were $300 and up…

“We do have Koa Wood Watches as well” she says and leads me over to the next display.

The Koa Wood Watches were Awesome, but sadly, they were all the same Shade and Color: Dark! As seen in their Advertisement here…

They had no different Shades or Hues, just the one. I liked the variation of the other Watches more. The Light to Dark Tones really made it look interesting and looked more like Rich Wood.

Plus, the Koa Watches were $500 and up! Ouch!

That settles that!

I went back to the Tense Wood Watches that were Half the Price.

Mine had a big “M” at the top, for Martin and Macarthur I suppose, and at the bottom it read “Hawaii“.

I couldn’t ask for more.

I bought the Watch!

It really was just so Awesome, words can’t even express…

I casually wander around as she was packaging up my Watch. I ended up at the Ring Case.

Great!

I already have a Koa Wood Ring, why am I still looking? Because they are THAT Cool!

One ring stood out from the bunch…

A Thinner Band with a Double Row of Koa Strips caught my eye (After all, I still have 9 fingers, err, 7 fingers and 2 thumbs left).

These Rings were also set in Tungsten. The Sales Lady pulls out the Tray so I can have a closer look. I ask to see the Thinner Band in a size 6.5… for my Pinky (no wise cracks).

She hands it to me and I slide it on my finger. It’s Comfort Fit and Matches my other Ring PERFECTLY!

What a great pair!

“What’s the Price?” I ask.

“$300” she Smiles!

That Smile is going to Kill me.

I almost Start Laughing. I’m Buying a Watch for $200 already, and am now looking at ANOTHER Ring for $300… Am I Crazy???

Don’t answer that, I already know!

I hemmed and hawed for a minute or five. I took a couple of Deep Breaths and kept looking at the Ring and Watch…

And then I thought about my Bank Account, tried to Justify the Price, couldn’t, and said…

“I’ll take the Ring as well!”

LOL

I’m insane!

I also picked up a Koa Wood Bookmark (with a Whale’s Tail of course), and some Cute little Honu (Sea Turtle) Earrings with Tiger’s Eye and Hematite as shown below… (My Friend Keila LOVED them!)

But the week wasn’t over yet…

I ended up at a store called “Crystal Rainbows” which, on my last visit, I bought a Silver Plumeria Pendant. So with my Martin and Macarthur bag in hand, I venture in…

They have a Cute Little Store with Wonderful Island Trinkets and Goodies. And as I browse, I Spot some Koa Wood Jewelry… MORE?

Groan!

I see a pretty little Barrel Pendant and the first thing that runs through my mind “Uh Oh! That looks like something my Mom would wear“.

I ask to see it and the Salesperson says “It’s Koa Wood Native only to the Hawaii Islands“.

YES I KNOW!

The Pendant, as seen below, is Smooth, Sleek, and very Beautiful…

“How much?” I ask sheepishly.

“$40”

$40? That’s it? That’s Cheap!

I wasn’t expecting such a low, low price. “Plus” the saleslady says “It will fit on the Popular Charm Bracelets“.

“Like the Pandora?” I ask.

“YES!”

And knowing my Mom has a TON (in part thanks to me) of Pandora Bracelets and Beads, it just made Perfect sense. I bought the Charm in 3 seconds flat!

My Koa Wood adventure was done…

NOT!

A day or two later, we are back on Front Street, and what Do I see?

A Koa Wood Postcard with a Whale’s Tail. That’s Neat! And Appropriate!

We were here for Whale Season… It really left me no choice. I bought the Postcard! It was only $4.00.

There! Finished!

?????

ALMOST!

On my last day of Vacation, we head downtown to eat at Kimos and sit by the Water to Eat Lunch (Awesome Grilled Chicken Salad with incredible Garlic Bread). And where do I stop?

Na Hokus… Just to look at the Wood again (I tell you I was HOOKED).

They actually have 2 Stores down in Lahaina, and I ask myself “Why are you here?”

I stopped because everywhere I went in Maui that week, every Book I opened, every Catalog, Magazine, Brochure I saw, I kept seeing Ads for their Koa Wood Watches.

Even on the Plane I saw them!

See below…

One of those Stainless Steel Watches kept grabbing my attention. The one with the 3 Chronographs, Black Face, and Sapphire Crystal… Take a look…

I decided to try it on.

I’m just trying it on, that’s all!

I wanted to see how it looked on my Wrist. I have Small Wrists and have a hard time finding a Watch that actually fits my wrist well, feels Comfortable, and looks right without hanging over the sides…

This Watch fit my Wrist Perfectly!

I can’t tell you how much I Hated that, and Loved it at the same time. It was so Stunning, so Masculine, so Stylish, so Sleek, so Earthly (I love Earth Tones), and it looked AWESOME on my Wrist… especially with my TWO Koa Wood Rings…

DAMN!!!

I already bought one Watch, an Expensive $200 Watch… But that Watch wasn’t “Koa” I kept telling myself. This one is!

Plus, it’s Stainless Steel. And Absolutely Beautiful!

The watch that I loved so much was $595.

Just $600 right? A Drop in the Bucket!

I say to myself that I’ve been thinking about Buying a NEW Watch lately. The one that I’ve been wearing for the past 15 years is Stainless Steel and while it still looks Great and runs Great, I’m ready for a change. And I’m so picky when it comes to Jewelry…

I shake my head.

I Can’t Do It!

I have already spent so much.

I left the Store and went to get some Gelato across the street. The whole time I ate it, I kept thinking about the Watch and trying to Justify the Price. Could I really afford to spend ANOTHER $600???

The Watch WAS Awesome.

It Fits!

It’s Stainless Steel!

Water Resistant to 600 Feet!

It has a 3 Year Warranty!

It’s Koa Wood!

It’s Cool as Hell!

And it’s from Hawaii, and ONLY Hawaii!

I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I sat and watched the Humpback Whales Playing in the Ocean…

Sure I could Buy it online later if I decide when I get home that I wanted it. But it wouldn’t be the same. It’s not like actually buying it HERE while I’m HERE on vacation (you understand what I’m talking about).

And IF I was going to buy it when I got home, then I might as well Bite the Bullet and just buy the Watch Now! Right?

I tell myself “You can’t buy anything more for the Rest of the Year! NOTHING!” lol

So on my last Day of Vacation, with only a couple of hours before Departure (the pressure is on), I go back into the Na Hoku Jewelry Store and Bought that Watch. MY Watch!

I still feel the Pain in my Gut when I think about how much Jewelry I bought this trip. But when I look at all the items, and when I put the Watch and Rings on, I really do love them. I’m so Happy I bought them!

Plus, I’ll get so many Compliments… ;)

That makes it all right, doesn’t it?

The pieces are all Unique, so Manly, so Rich…

I may be Broke now, but after Spending a Grand Total of $1398 + Tax on Koa Wood, I don’t regret it in the least.

Every time I look at them I think about Maui… The Sun, the Heat, the Wind in the Palms, the Splash of Water on the Rocks… Ahhhhhhh!

It makes me feel good inside. One day I’ll live there (it’s my goal in life). And I’m sure, one day I’ll be Buying MORE Koa Wood Jewelry! lol

I love it that much!

I really do.

And if you saw it in person, I’m sure you’d say the same thing.

In fact, I know you “wood“.

;)

If you want some Koa Wood for yourself…

Check out their Online Stores:

Martin and Macarthur

Na Hoku

Plus Other Koa Wood Retailers:

Hawaiian Jewelry Master

Makani Hawaii

Plus, you can even Buy Koa Wood from Amazon!

SWEET! :)