Pounamu Pendant - Eternal Twist

Traditional large Maori designs handcrafted from beautifully polished New Zealand Pounamu, (Greenstone, or New Zealand Jade) New Zealand's most treasured precious stone.

Soft and warm to the touch, the curved, flowing lines of the designs feel as good as they look. This pendant is hung on a waxed, black braid with a matching Pounamu toggle so that you can easily adjust the braid to your preferred length. Comes with a complimentary velvet pouch. Handcrafted in Wellington, New Zealand.

Because this is a natural product, precise colour tones may vary a little from that pictured.

Eternal Twist
The Twist is regarded as the original eternity symbol and shows the joining together of two people for eternity. Even though they sometimes move away from each other on their own journeys, they will always come together again and the strength of friendship, loyalty and love will last forever.
Our Eternal Twist is beautifully finished in Kahurangi Pounamu a highly translucent, lightish green stone sometimes with lighter streaks (which looks like clouds) and free from dark spots or any flaws. It is highly prized and one of the rarest varieties of Pounamu.
Measures 5cm (2 inches) long.

About Pounamu (New Zealand greenstone)
Pounamu is a highly prized hard nephrite jade found in New Zealand. It is composed of chlorite and epidote which makes the stone a mid-to-dark green colour and is considered New Zealand's most treasured precious stone. Greenstone rocks are generally found in rivers. They appear as nondescript boulders and stones and are difficult to identify without cutting them open. The mining of pounamu is closely controlled.
The Māori call the South Island of New Zealand Te Wai Pounamu, meaning "The Land of Greenstone Water". Pounamu is highly valued by the Māori and is considered a taonga or treasure, and so is protected under the Treaty of Waitangi.
Pounamu is a very hard stone and must be worked with care and patience. Traditionally it was used as an alternative to iron in axes and similar hand tools. The Māori club, the mere, was often made of pounamu. Because of its beauty and value it was also turned into beautiful jewellery in traditional Māori designs. Pounamu artefacts were often given as gifts to seal important agreements. Today, diamond tools are often used to carve it and Pounamu jewellery is very popular among New Zealanders who see it as somewhat iconic of the country.