Koa Wood in Hawaiian Jewelry

Koa wood is recognized as one of the finest textured woods in the world and is prized for its rich colors and beautiful patterns. Koa is part of the Acacia family of trees and is the most valued native tree. The Koa is endemic to Hawaii - exists naturally no where else in the world, they can be found on the islands of Hawaii, Maui, and Oahu. The best Koa can be found specifically on higher elevations of the Big Island and take 50 to 70 years to mature.

Koa is the Hawaiian word for "warrior" and "courage". In ancient Hawaii, Koa wood was harvested exclusively for the Alii class (royalty) and others of high social status. Its trunk was used to build sea-faring canoes, sculpted images of god, and personal containers. The reddish wood has maintained its popularity in the local culture and is highly prized for use in wood carvings, musical instruments, and furniture. Koa, a tonewood, is often used in the construction of the ukulele and the weissenborn-style Hawaiian steel guitar.

Koa is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful tropical hardwoods. It is a moderately heavy wood; stable, and works well with oils, varnish or lacquer as it takes on an exceptionally rich, deeply reflective glow. Koa was known as the Hawaiian Mahogany and used extensively by the upper class and government buildings for furniture, staircases, and other woodworks. The state of Hawaii has issued restrictions on the harvesting of these trees as reforestation projects continue to be implemented. Although supply is limited, koa is even more desirable in Hawaii for upscale furniture, ukulele, and woodworks. This beautiful wood has also gained popularity in jewelry as the deep rich color and glow matches perfectly with pearls, silver, and many other materials. Next time when you purchase a new piece of jewelry to add to your collections, you should consider adding one that is made up of Hawaii Koa wood.