Carving A Manawa

Here's a look at how one of our manawa (heart) pieces comes to life, from raw pounamu to finished pendant.

It starts with tracing the heart shape onto the stone, then cutting it out on the trim saw, staying as close to the lines as possible. From there, it's onto the grinders to shape it down further.

Next comes the hand polishing — working through the grits, from a coarser pad to smooth out any flat spots, right up to a fine finishing pad. Then it's onto the buffing wheel for a final shine.

Held up to natural light, the pounamu turns translucent — a good sign it's ready. The last step is drilling the hole through the heart, and the piece is complete.

Watch the full process here.

Manawa (Heart) Meaning

A simple form carrying a simple truth: manawa speaks to aroha and connection. Worn for the people who matter — given, or kept close as a reminder of who's in your corner.

Shop Our Manawa Collection