My husband is notoriously difficult to shop for. Christmas can be a nightmare and Valentine’s Day is even worse because, well, let’s just say he’s a little… less than romantic. But for Valentine’s Day this year, I decided to put my gift-giving skills to the test and find him something that is not only meaningful but masculine and stylish too. 

When we were still newly dating, we went on a vacation to Hawaii together and that is where we truly fell in love. It’s where I first knew I wanted to be with him forever. Incorporating Hawaii into his gift was important to me. I started to do some research and I found Koa Wood jewelry. It was perfect - masculine, unique, and stylish, and as I continued to search, I found just how significant Koa wood is to Hawaii. 

In ancient Hawaii, Koa was the wood of the elite because of its rarity, beauty, and symbolic meaning. ‘Koa’ symbolizes strength and courage which are characteristics that I admire about my husband. At this point, a Koa Wood gift keeps sounding better and better.

Koa Wood is an endemic tree in Hawaii and is only found on a few of the islands which means that it doesn’t grow anywhere else in the world. The trees themselves are not endangered but Hawaii places strict regulations on sustainable sourcing of koa wood to protect the extremely diverse ecosystems here in Hawaii. I began my search for sustainably sourced Koa Wood rings. 

After a few minutes of searching, I found the 14k Koa Wood Haiki Ring! It has a thin solid gold band with a koa wood inlay and a diamond. It was absolutely stunning and I noticed I was drawn to it more for myself than for my husband. The fineness that the diamond adds to this piece of jewelry makes it feel equally feminine and masculine. This felt like an invitation to indulge in getting us matching wedding bands.

I was able to find two rings for us and I added a custom engraving to the inside of each band. The Koa Nani brand has authentic Hawaiian jewelry pieces that are entirely handcrafted and feature traditional style engravings in solid 14K gold. Along with that, the Alamea brand has classic contemporary koa wood and exotic wood rings that fit just about any style. 

These handcrafted Hawaiian heirloom rings will be passed down to our future children and grandchildren and I could not be more excited to gift these to him on Valentine’s Day. Interested in finding the perfect ring for you and your love? Send an email to Island by Koa Nani to get started or check out Koa Wood Rings to find the rings for you!

Edited by Renee Heimgartner