The Ariki Collection of shell jewellery is a combination of the superb skills of Ariki’s craftspeople, combined with the incredible beauty of the New Zealand Paua shell.
Paua is part of the Abalone family. Abalone are large sea snails and their flesh is regarded a delicacy around the world, the shell is a by product. The New Zealand Paua Shell Jewellery is unique in its sort compared to the other Abalone Jewellery types. The pristine clear coastal waters of New Zealand give the Paua its unique and intense blue colours.
The Paua shell, when harvested, is coated with a thick layer of marine growth and lime. The growth is removed to reveal the stunningly beautiful.
In New Zealand Ariki uses a special process to remove crusty marine growth to reveal the beautiful colours and patterns hiding beneath. The shell is polished, cut and shaped to fit jewellery specially created by Ariki’s designers. Ariki selects only the best quality shell for its unique selection of jewellery.
Being the world’s most successful designer/manufacturer of Paua shell jewellery, Ariki is proud of its history of being a New Zealand based manufacturer employing New Zealanders to produce products for sale in New Zealand, online and overseas.
The Ariki Paua Collection is presented in a beautiful jewellery box. All Paua Pendants include necklace chains.
Ariki sources the Paua shell directly from the divers who hold Paua quota. Paua is protected by a quota system and by the control of the equipment used by the quota holders who must “free dive” without the use of air tanks for their quotas. This system is controlled by the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries.
Ariki New Zealand Jewellery uses only the best graded shells for its paua earrings and paua pendants. There have been many attempted imitations of Ariki’s jewellery but none have achieved such enduring success.