Alamea Hawaii

Alamea Hawaii (Est. 1991) In the Hawaiian language, ‘Alamea’ means precious. The brand, Alamea, began at small local arts and crafts fairs during the summer of 1991 in Hawaii. At first, it was a few creative people making and promoting jewelry at these fairs, then trade shows. Later, sales expanded to selling simple silver and handmade Koa wood pieces to local gift shops.

The jewelry caught on leading to the opening of Alamea’s first store in 1998 in Waikiki. The following year, Alamea opened a wood-crafting factory, making jewelry boxes and display trays to complement the natural jewelry pieces. The unique wooden boxes, fused with custom jewelry, inspired products that were exceptional, precious, and natural: Alamea wood rings.

Exotic woods sourced from all over the world are crafted into Alamea jewelry. Each piece has its own unique color and grain created by the effects of sun, soil and climate. These wood rings are built to last.

In a February 2012 JCK article, Riza Roales, then director of wholesale and manufacturing for Alamea Hawaii, told the publication that Alamea Hawaii manufactures a variety of Hawaiian-inspired styles but it was a fortuitous sponsorship with the annual Honolulu Marathon that popularized the exotic wood ring collection. When asked to participate in the yearly event, Alamea came up with the idea of creating an ultra-light ring suitable for runners to wear. A prominent race executive was photographed wearing the ring and soon inquiries came pouring in and the rings have been handcrafted since then.

Alamea Hawaii koa wood rings are among the brand’s favorites. They are romantic and can be worn by men and women. Made of titanium, the lightweight, easy-to-wear rings are crafted of solid koa wood, a material native to the Hawaiian Islands. Spiritual qualities associated with koa wood include bravery, integrity, and strength. The pieces are a popular choice for wedding bands. Customers – both men and women – wear them every day and pass them down through generations of their families.

Today, the company offers jewelers and retailers a large selection of collections in sterling silver and gold, some featuring other precious natural materials such as genuine diamonds. Other materials in Alamea’s collections include Larimar, the bright blue stone from the Caribbean that seems to reflect the soft, soothing and serene brilliance of sea and sky, rich Koa wood from Hawaii, pavé crystals, Pacific pearls, and ocean-hued abalone.

Some of Alamea’s best-selling pieces are the Larimar wave pendant, the Larimar bracelet, and the pearl and diamond wave.

“Our most popular items are the contemporary items that work with jeans on a casual day, or the little black dress,” says current Alamea owner Jay Wu. “Much of our jewelry is nature-inspired and nautical, which brings a feeling of serenity when displayed in our provided displays and cases. Many of our items create an emotional connection when seen by shoppers, whether the store is in a high-traffic tourist area or is a local, landlocked store. Our jewelry is all about a vibe [that does] just as well as the stores in tourist areas.”

Alamea’s customers – from the United States, Canada, Japan, Mexico, and beyond are drawn to Alamea because its creations are exquisite, quality pieces that appeal with timeless style in a blend of fine jewelry and nature.

The peaceful, fun and elegant creations are symbols of love, easy-to-wear, and natural accessories for any occasion. Sea turtles, dolphins, starfish, sand dollars, sunshine, stingrays, flowers, butterflies, and ocean waves with beautiful blue touches of the Caribbean’s Larimar are just the beginning of Alamea’s wide array of designs.

Sets include pendants, necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets and bangles. “Our jewelry is made in more than one location,” Jay notes. “Some are made in Hawaii, some in the Dominican Republic and some in China.” A few of the company’s 20 designers are also creative marketing and advertising layout professionals.

“It’s the people – customers and employees alike – who are at the heart of Alamea’s success,” says Wu. “People are the new horizon for Alamea. Consumers, participating retailers and our entire staff are our biggest asset. They are why we do what we do. Because of them, our gifted designers and craftsmen are able to create innovative, original designs with rare materials that spark a vibe. Our staff of designers, marketing, customer service, and sales management is close to 200 highly valued and appreciated people.”

The brand has won two JCK Jewelers Choice Design Awards and four First runner up awards in 2 years. These include first place for pearl jewelry from $2500 – $10000 in 2017 and first place for silver jewelry under $500 in 2015. The brand has also received several second place awards in pearl jewelry, colored stone jewelry, earrings design, silver jewelry all priced at $2500 and under.

Alamea remains the largest brand of exotic wood rings in fashion, men’s, stackable, thumb, and wedding rings. Stocked in titanium sizes 4-14 in half sizes from 3-12mm, rings can be made to order in 14kt gold, Koa, ebony, bocote, purple-heart, cocobolo, pink ivory, and tulip. Stores often see a surge of requests for these creations due to the grounding effects of wood and the specific metaphysical properties attached to each of the woods. The company offers lifetime size replacement of the titanium rings.

Alamea’s pieces carry a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty, and retailers’ customers are treated with the addition of a large variety of new products every spring and fall.

Handcrafted from solid wood and developed to last a lifetime, Alamea is made to enhance an individual’s personality and unite him or her with nature’s harmony.

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