Puawai Jade are specialists in carving authentic New Zealand Pounamu (Jade) into Māori traditional and contemporary adornment and jewellery. We have jade carvers on site, where you can watch how pendants, sculptures and jade jewellery are made.

 Locally owned and operated by Master carver Niki Nepia, famed for both his traditional art forms and contemporary work. The highly skilled artist, fluent in traditional Maori style, has studied, worked and exhibited in China, under various master carvers and is accomplished in different Chinese art forms. Constantly pushing his creativity and technical ability, Niki produces work that is innovative, unique and impressively complex.

Niki can be seen at work in his Puawai Jade studio and showrooms in Eat Streat, Rotorua or Mount
Maunganui. These galleries offer a range of high-end gold and silver jewellery and adornment, carvings and sculptures produced by Niki and other highly experienced New Zealand artists. New designs feature each month and orders are taken for custom-designed product. Dedicated to quality, and supporting local artists and economy our galleries consist of over 95% New Zealand Pounamu.

Puawai Jade takes its name from a deeply significant family name, Puawai, which means “blossom”.