Hawaiian heirloom jewelry is easy to recognize: a gold or silver band, deeply engraved with scrolling vines, often with a name set in black enamel letters across the front. It is also easy to misunderstand. It did not come from ancient Hawaiʻi, and it did not start as a souvenir. It began with one bracelet made for a future queen, and it has been passed from hand to hand ever since.
Here is where the tradition comes from, what the designs mean, and how to choose a piece of your own.
Where it began: the Hoʻomanaʻo Mau bracelet
The first Hawaiian heirloom bracelet was made in the 1860s, usually dated to 1862, by Honolulu jeweler Christian Eckart. It was made for Lydia Kamakaʻeha Pākī, who would later become Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last reigning monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Across the gold band, in black enamel Old English letters, it reads Hoʻomanaʻo Mau, usually translated as "a lasting remembrance" or "always remember."
The look was borrowed from England. After Prince Albert died in 1861, Queen Victoria went into a long public mourning, and Victorian mourning jewelry, with gold bands and black enamel lettering, became fashionable across the English-speaking world. Eckart's bracelet took that Victorian form and gave it a Hawaiian meaning.
You will often read that Queen Victoria gave Liliʻuokalani the bracelet at the 1887 Golden Jubilee in London. It is a lovely story, but research into it has found it most likely never happened. Portraits from before 1887 already show Liliʻuokalani wearing the bracelet.
From a royal keepsake to a family tradition
What began as a single royal piece became a style. Families across the islands began commissioning their own bracelets, with a name engraved in enamel where Hoʻomanaʻo Mau once sat. Over more than 150 years the designs grew to include tropical flowers, raised lettering, and scalloped edges, but the idea stayed the same: a piece of jewelry that carries a name and a memory, made to be handed down.
That is why these pieces are called heirlooms. They are given to mark moments that matter, and they are meant to outlast the person who first wears them.
What the designs mean
Most heirloom pieces combine hand-engraved scrollwork with one or more island motifs. Each carries its own meaning.
- Scroll: the continuous engraved vine that defines heirloom jewelry, often associated with the maile vine, a symbol of honor and lasting love. Browse the Hawaiian Scroll Collection.
- Plumeria: the flower of welcome, grace, and new beginnings, and the most-gifted motif in Hawaiian jewelry. Browse the Hawaiian Plumeria Collection.
- Honu (sea turtle): protection, good luck, and a long life. Browse the Hawaiian Honu Collection.
- Hibiscus: Hawaiʻi's state flower, a symbol of beauty and hospitality. Browse the Hawaiian Hibiscus Collection.
The details that make a piece yours
Enamel and raised lettering. The classic heirloom look sets a name or initial in black enamel against the gold. Raised lettering lifts the letters above the surface instead. Both descend from the original Hoʻomanaʻo Mau bracelet. See our Hawaiian Engraved Jewelry Collection for initial pendants, rings, and earrings.
Black border or plain border. Many designs come in two finishes. A black border outlines the scrollwork and gives it a sharper, more graphic look. A plain border keeps the gold continuous and quieter.
Bangle styles. Names like Queen and Kuuipo (sweetheart) refer to classic heirloom bangle patterns. You will find them in our Hawaiian Bangle Collection.
Sterling silver or 14K gold?
The original heirloom bracelets were gold, and solid 14K gold is still the choice for a piece meant to last generations. It will not tarnish or fade, and it is safe in the ocean. See the Hawaiian 14K Gold Collection.
Solid .925 sterling silver carries the same designs at a price that makes gifting easy, and it is how many people buy their first heirloom piece. See the Hawaiian Sterling Silver Collection.
Choosing and caring for your piece
- Getting the size right matters more for a rigid bangle than for almost any other jewelry, because it has to fit over your hand. Our sizing guide shows you how to measure with a strip of paper.
- Choosing one as a gift? Our Hawaiian jewelry gift guide walks through occasions, motifs, and budgets.
- For cleaning, storage, and wearing your jewelry in the water, see our FAQ & Jewelry Care Guide.
A tradition we have shared since 1994
Ashley's Gift Shop began as a small booth on Duke's Lane in Waikīkī, and we have been sharing Hawaiian heirloom jewelry with locals and visitors ever since. If you are on Oʻahu, come see the collection in person at the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet & Marketplace. Otherwise, browse the full Hawaiian Heirloom Jewelry Collection, shipped from Oʻahu. Read more about our story.
