Custom Commissions
Commission a Custom Pounamu Piece
Tell us what you have in mind, and we will share your request with New Zealand pounamu carvers who take on custom work. Interested carvers contact you directly to talk it through.
How It Works
From an Idea to a Finished Taonga
A commission is a conversation between you and a carver. Our role is simply to connect you with carvers who take on custom work, so the request reaches people who can actually help.
Tell us your idea
Share the design, size, who it is for, your budget and any timing. A rough idea is fine.
We share it with carvers
Your request goes to carvers on our commission list whose work suits what you are after, including any preferred region.
Carvers get in touch
Interested carvers contact you directly to ask questions, share ideas and give you a quote.
Your piece is carved
Choose the carver you connect with. Everything from design to payment is agreed between the two of you.
What You Can Commission
Traditional Forms or Something Personal
Most commissions are pendants, but many carvers also take on earrings, toki, larger carvings and pieces designed around a story that matters to you. If you are still deciding, each traditional design carries its own meaning.
You can also ask for a particular type of pounamu, though availability depends on what stone each carver holds. For help weighing up shape and symbolism, see our guide on how to choose a pounamu pendant.
Before You Request
A Few Things Worth Knowing
Commissioning for yourself
Pounamu is traditionally gifted, but many people today commission a piece for themselves. Views vary, and approaching it with respect and intention matters most to many carvers.
Can you buy pounamu for yourself?Commissioning a gift
A custom piece can mark a birth, a milestone or a farewell. Sharing the story behind the gift helps a carver shape something meaningful.
Read our gifting guideBlessing and karakia
Some carvers bless a piece before handing it over, while others leave that to the wearer. If it matters to you, mention it in your request.
How pounamu is blessedYour Request
Tell Us About Your Piece
The more detail you share, the easier it is for a carver to respond with real ideas. Your request is only shared with carvers on our commission list, and they contact you directly.
For Carvers
Take On Custom Work? Join the Commission List
If you carve pounamu and welcome commissions, join our commission list to receive requests from people looking for a custom piece. You choose which requests to reply to, and every conversation happens directly between you and the customer.
- Requests sent straight to your inbox
- Filtered by design, budget and preferred region
- No middleman in your sale or your pricing
Not listed yet? Get in touch about joining the PounamuGuide directory first.
Tell us a little about the commissions you take on, and we will be in touch to confirm your place on the list.
Commissioning Pounamu: Frequently Asked Questions
No. PounamuGuide connects you with carvers who take on custom work. The design, price, payment and delivery are agreed directly between you and the carver you choose.
It depends on the size and complexity of the design, the type and quality of stone, and the carver. Sharing a budget range in your request helps carvers tell you what is realistic before you commit to anything.
Custom work usually takes weeks rather than days, and some carvers have waiting lists. If you need a piece by a particular date, include it in your request so carvers can say upfront whether they can meet it.
Genuine pounamu comes only from New Zealand's South Island. Ask your carver where the stone was sourced and whether it is authenticated. Our guide on how to tell if pounamu is real covers the questions worth asking.
Only carvers on our commission list see your request, and only so they can contact you about it. See our privacy policy for how your details are handled.
Yes, several workshops guide you through carving your own piece. See our guide to carving your own pounamu for places that offer it.