Vintage Hawaiian Puka Shell Necklace with Large 16.7-11.9mm Lavender Hued Pukas

Description: G E N U I N E ∙ H A W A I I A N P U K A ∙ S H E L L ∙ N E C K L A C E A U T H E N T I C ∙ V I N T A G E ∙ 7 0s W I T H ∙ 7 0 s ∙ S T Y L E C O C O N U T∙S H E L L∙ 4mm H E I S H I ∙ S P A C E R S (Read the story about this authentic never owned or worn 70s necklace further down below in this section.) Indulge in the beauty and history of the ocean with these exquisite VINTAGE 70’s 16.7mm-11.9mm Light-Lavender-Hued Large Pukas strung Back-to-Back to accentuate the shells colors with Rare 70’s Vintage 4mm Dark Coconut Shell Heishi Spacers. This unique piece of natural jewelry is not only a celebration of Hawaiian culture but also a testimony to the beauty of nature. Imagine owning a piece of the ocean's history, a necklace that captures the essence of the beach-inspired, boho style that defines Hawaii casual living. The natural coconut spacers and shells used in this necklace were created by nature itself, each one unique. Owning this necklace means owning a One-of-a-Kind piece that carries the mystery and allure of the ocean. ATTENTION Puka Necklace Buyers: Based on my eBay search results for ‘Puka Shell Necklace’, I discovered that many of the ‘puka’ necklaces listed that state they are a ‘puka’ necklace containing ‘puka’ shells are NOT Puka Shells! Though most of those necklaces are beautiful shell necklaces, they are not puka shell necklaces. Puka shells are distinct from any other kind of shell or beach shell remnant, and that is why they have such high value. A’ PUKA SHELL’ is created by nature from a particular species of mollusk shell (the Cone Shell) after the animal inside the shell has died, and not manufactured by man. The ‘puka’ shell is created after decades of tumbling in the surf and sand for that Cone Shell mollusk to be worn down to the remnant of the shell called the ‘puka’ shell. (See my description below of ‘the definition of the Hawaiian word ‘Puka’.) Puka shells are disc shaped like a ‘contact lens’, but much thicker, with the outside of the shell curved outward (convex) and inside of the shell curved inward (concaved). The larger the puka shell size the thicker the shell. Some puka shells have irregular shapes that are not as round-disc shaped but have the same convex and concaved sides. If you want to know that what you’re looking at in a listing is actually made of genuine ‘puka’ shells, those shells should look like the shells in this necklace. Have a typical disc shape and thickness, and in addition to white, can come in a variety of colors, hues and patterns, in sizes from 2mm to over 30mm. Necklaces made of small puka shells will still look the same as large puka shells, but just a smaller version. BUYER BEWARE! V I N T A G E ∙ 1 9 7 0’ s ∙ C O L L E C T I O N VINTAGE ∙ BUT ∙ MODERN ∙ SHELL ∙ JEWELRY H O W ∙ T O ∙ O R D E R CUSTOMIZE NECKLACE LENGTH OPTION: You can have the necklace shortened or lengthened to your desired length, by my adding or reducing the necklace shells: Message me with your preferred NECKLACE LENGTH and I’ll make a Custom Order Listing for you. - O R – • SELECT THE EXTENDER OPTION if you want to add length to this 16” choker necklace: Add up to an extra 4-1/4 inches to your necklace with an EXTENDER. I will replace the existing Barrel Clasp with a Sterling Silver Hook & Eye Clasp with the EXTENDER of your choice. YOU CAN MAKE A BEST OFFER FOR THIS ITEM by messaging me your offer for your selected variation of the 3 length options below, and I will respond by messaging you an acceptance or counter offer discounted price. NECKLACE LENGTH OPTION: Select an option • WITHOUT EXTENDER: 16” Necklace length ($186.00) • WITH Sterling Silver Hook & Eye Clasp & 2” EXTENDER: 16” to 18” adjustable length ($188.50) • WITH Sterling Silver Hook & Eye Clasp & 4-1/4” EXTENDER: 16” to 20-1/4” adjustable length ($191.00) O T H E R ∙ I N F O R M A T I O N • Materials: Hawaiian Puka Shells, Dark Coconut Shell Heishi • Necklace Length: 16” • Option to shorten or lengthen to your desired length: Message me your length requirements • Longer Adjustable Length: With a necklace EXTENDER purchase option • Number of Puka Shells: 66 Pukas with 4mm Dark Coconut Shell Heishi Spacers • Puka Shell Color: Light-Lavender-Hued • Special Design Feature: Pukas strung Back-to-Back to accentuate the shells colors with Rare Vintage 4mm Dark Coconut Shell Heishi Spacers • Puka Shell Size: Graduated from Approx. 16.668mm to 11.906mm • Coconut Shell Heishi Size: Approx. 4mm • Necklace Weight: About 2.6 oz. • CLASP: Barrell Clasp • Chain Style: Bead • Style: Boho & Hippie • Condition NEW Never owned or worn • All items are nicely packaged ready to gift in gift boxes. T U R N ∙ A R O U N D ∙ T I M E • This item is ready to ship in 1 – 3 business days via USPS Ground Advantage Mail. USPS Ground Advantage Mail from Hawaii to the U.S. Mainland typically takes 3 – 6 business days. T H I S ∙ V I N T A G E ∙ N E C K L A C E’ S ∙ S T O R Y – N E W – N E V E R ∙ O W N E D ∙ O R ∙ W O R N H A N D ∙ M A D E ∙ I N ∙ 1 9 7 6 As one of the major ‘Hawaii Movers & Shakers’ of the 70s worldwide Puka Shell craze, I sold thousands of puka necklaces from 1974 through 1976 with my Waikiki retail shop and wholesale to Hawaii and U.S. mainland retail stores. (It’s possible I’m the only one of those 70s ‘Hawaii Movers & Shakers’ still alive!) However, in 1976 the Philippines flooded the market with thousands of cheap, so called, puka shell necklaces. Though some of the necklaces were made of puka shells harvested from islands in the Philippines, most were unauthentic ’manufactured’ necklaces made by collecting thousands living cone shell mollusks; then killing the animal in the shell; then cutting off the very top of the cone shell (the part of the cone shell that would naturally become a puka shell after the animal dies and the shell tumbles in the ocean over many decades), then polishing the edges to give the cut shell the appearance of an ocean polished puka shell. Unfortunately, the people who were buying puka shell necklaces at that time were ignorant of those facts, having no idea what they were actually buying. Due to the flooding of the market with those cheap imported necklaces in 1976 I closed my business, and before it was offered for sale, this VINTAGE 70’s necklace along with my other shell jewelry creations at the time WERE STORED IN RESERVE. Then, 47 years later in 2023 I became aware of the new popularity of Hawaiian Puka Shell Necklaces again. So, I opened and made available that reserve to the public, so they too can enjoy my unique vintage ‘Puka Jewelry Creations’ along with my other vintage ‘Ocean Jewels Hawaii’ creations. This authentic Hawaiian handcrafted necklace was made in 1976 with Pukas collected on the Waianae Coast, Oahu, Hawaii in 1976 as were all the other necklaces listed in this shop, and has been stored in reserve, untouched and unseen, until now. This makes it a unique piece of vintage jewelry, a timeless beauty that has never been owned or worn. NOTE: Along with the hundreds of necklaces I stored in reserve and are now offering in my Etsy shop, were an assortment of thousands of unstrung pukas, that enables me to also make custom necklaces to your design requirements with vintage 70s pukas. T O ∙ O W N ∙ A N D ∙ A D O R N O R ∙ T O ∙ G I F T Light-Lavender-Hued Pukas strung Back-to-Back to accentuate the shells colors. These are REAL, surf tumbled puka shells that were among the thousands of puka shells of various types, sizes and colors that were handpicked from the beaches of the Waianae Coast of Oahu, Hawaii, then sorted by type, color, and size to create this unique necklace. The Vintage Puka Shell Choker Necklace is a perfect gift for anyone who loves the beach-inspired, boho style. It is a perfect unique Valentine’s gift, chic birthday gift, a unique anniversary gift, and a great boho son present for girls, boys, women, and men. It is a conversation starter, a piece of jewelry that carries its own story, its own history. ‘Ocean Jewels’ Hawaii is proud to offer this Vintage Puka Shell Choker Necklace, along with other vintage ‘Puka Jewelry Creations’ and ‘Ocean Jewels’ Hawaii creations. The natural beauty and uniqueness of these puka shells and coconut heishi make this necklace an irresistible and emotional purchase. Get your hands on this unique piece of natural jewelry and own a piece of Hawaii’s ocean history! Perfect to wear with anything, any season. A bold statement piece for all occasions. Vintage but modern shell jewelry. Very versatile and timeless piece that will last for years to come. Puka Shell Necklaces are making a comeback. This Hawaiian Puka Shell Necklace has the classic design we all loved from back in the day. Perfect to wear with anything. This beauty will dress up any outfit & would be a great addition to any jewelry collection. You can wear this piece in the day or dress it up at night. It will also make a great gift idea for a loved one or friend. Wear a piece of Hawaii wherever you go. Enjoy a little piece of the islands right from your own home. This Puka Shell Necklace is perfect for a variety of occasions, including birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, Valentine’s, Easter, or Christmas. It's a great way to show mom, dad, sister, brother, son, daughter, wife, girlfriend, or any other loved one just how special they are to you. And because it's made from natural materials, you can feel good about giving a gift that’s made from nature’s creation and beauty. Not only is this vintage puka shell necklace a great One-of-a-Kind piece of jewelry, it's also a work of art. This means that you or the person you give this necklace will have a piece of jewelry that is completely unique to you or them, just like you and they are. Don't settle for a generic piece of jewelry that anyone can buy. Give a gift that's truly special and unique, just like the person you're giving it to. Order your One-of-a-Kind Puka Shell Necklace today! T H E ∙ W O R D ∙ ‘P U K A’ The word "puka" means ‘hole’ in Hawaiian. Puka shells start out as Cone shells. After the Cone shell’s animal dies, the shell tumbles in the ocean and sand until they become natural little disks with holes in the center – natural ocean jewels. Puka shells are found here on the beaches and chosen because of a naturally created hole in the center, usually caused by the top of the shell being broken off after many decades of tumbling in the ocean and crashing in the surf resulting in the opening of the center of the shell. Then tumbling in the surf and sand gently smoothing all the rough edges. Hawaii’s Marine Biologists state, except for the very small ‘baby’ pukas that can take a decade or more to form, it often takes 50 to 100 years, or longer for some, to form the final puka shell found on Hawaii’s beaches. Each puka shell is so special and unique, no two are alike, and each hold so much ocean history. They have natural grooves and divots as well as worn areas because they are a natural, not a manufactured material. Owning a Puka Shell Necklace is owning a unique piece of the ocean’s history. I have always loved the natural beauty of the colors and patterns of shells and the uniqueness of each shell. I consider them ‘the jewels of the ocean’. I wanted to share the beauty of what nature, and the ocean created with others by creating beautiful shell pendants, earrings, necklaces, leis, and bracelets to emphasize the colors and patterns of these ocean jewels. The appeal and beauty of shells inspired ancient Hawaiians to adorn themselves with these natural jewels of the ocean. Now, ‘Ocean Jewels’ Hawaii makes it possible for you to have and own the timeless beauty of Puka Shells. You are more than a customer. We are Ohana (a family). Your happiness and satisfaction are very important to me. If you've any questions, do not hesitate to contact me. It's my pleasure to help you. ❤️ Mahalo nui loa (Thank you very much) for checking out my eBay shop. BUYER’S CAUTION: Unfortunately, I’ve discovered in my google research, that among the many legitimate Hawaii sellers that sell genuine Hawaiian necklaces made from authentic puka shells they are now collecting from Hawaii’s beaches, today there are also people, selling online, and representing the necklaces they’re selling as made in Hawaii with Hawaiian puka shells, when they are actually Philippine ’manufactured’ necklaces made from living baby cone shells using the same process as I just described above, and sometimes polishing the bottom and edges of the cut shell to make them look like ‘ocean polished pukas’ and calling them puka shell necklaces. BUYER BEWARE! © 2023/2024 All images are copyrighted by ‘Ocean Jewels’ Hawaii. All rights reserved.

Price: 186 USD

Location: Aiea, Hawaii

End Time: 2024-10-15T20:08:12.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD

Product Images

Vintage Hawaiian Puka Shell Necklace with Large 16.7-11.9mm Lavender Hued Pukas

Item Specifics

All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted

Main Stone Creation: Natural

Closure: Barrel

Occasion: Anniversary, Birthday, Christening, Christmas, Confirmation/Communion, Engagement, Father's Day, Graduation, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, Wedding

Main Stone Color: Lavender

Material: Shell

Year Manufactured: 1970-1979

Necklace Length: 16 in

Main Stone: Shell

Brand: Puka Jewelry Creations

Type: Necklace

Unit Type: Unit

Main Stone Shape: Round

Style: Beaded, Choker

Theme: Beach, Bohemian, Nature

Country/Region of Manufacture: United States