Behind the Scenes — A Timeless Pikake Design (2026 Update)

Posted by Janjira on Jan 29th 2026

Aloha and welcome back, everyone.

If you’ve been following along in my recent behind-the-scenes blogs, thank you so much for being here with me. In one post, I shared the quiet process of sorting Momi shells — taking time to observe their colors, patterns, and subtle differences, and learning how much awareness goes into choosing the right shells before any design begins.

In another, I invited you into the hands-on work behind my 3-inch Momi Pikake earrings, sharing the challenges, decisions, and small adjustments that happen along the way. All of that time and care was leading to this moment, and I’m excited to finally share how the design turned out.

Slowly and quietly, while enjoying the shells’ natural patterns, I hope the small details I’ve shared through my blogs have been helpful and enjoyable to read. This process has helped us learn awareness — and to appreciate the tiniest details more deeply. All of this attention carries into everything we do in life, and in one way or another, it can help us, often without us even realizing it.

Sorting Momi shells up close during the design process, showing how tiny cracks and imperfections are carefully identified and set aside before creating Niʻihau shell jewelry. Handful of Momi shells during the sorting stage, highlighting natural color variations, shell patterns, and the careful selection process shared in my behind-the-scenes Pikake earring blogs.

A Timeless Pikake Design, and How It Turned Out

Oh well, well, well…

My first idea for this project was to create 3-inch Pikake earrings, especially since many designs had sold out during the past holiday season. I’m truly grateful for all of your support— whether you found my work through my website or my Etsy shop, it truly means more to me than I can say.

If you’re curious to hear what others have shared about their experience and the pieces they’ve received, I warmly invite you to take a moment to read a few kind words from customers on my testimonials page.

After all the careful preparation and thoughtful shell selection, I reached the point where the design felt complete. When I stepped back and looked at how the earrings turned out, they felt just right to me — beautiful and subtle, calm and clean, with a timeless, classy feel that allows the natural beauty of the Momi shells to shine through.

Long Momi Pikake earrings and long Niʻihau earrings made with genuine Momi shells from Niʻihau, Hawaiʻi, showing the traditional Pikake style and careful shell sorting process.  

I loved the idea of offering two different moods — one that feels soft and elegant, and another that feels a bit more playful and expressive. And since you’ve been following along from the beginning, you’re the first to see where that curiosity gently led me.

That creative feeling naturally led me toward a shorter Pikake style. I found myself wanting to play a little more with color, bringing together fun combinations in a design that still feels light and easy to wear. From there, these beautiful designs began to come together, each with its own character.

They feel very light when worn, and their natural luster brings out the shells’ colors, keeping everything looking clean, fresh, and full of life. If you’d like to see how each individual pair turned out, they’re now available in the Earrings category under Pikake style, where you can take a closer look.

Close-up of Momi shells being carefully arranged during the Pikake earring design process, showing color balance, shell patterns, and the quiet attention learned through sorting Niʻihau shells before Short Momi Pikake earrings and short Niʻihau earrings made with Momi shells from Niʻihau, Hawaiʻi, highlighting color variations, luster, and handmade Pikake earring designs.

Thank you so much for coming back and spending this time with me, and for checking in to see how these creations turned out. It truly means a lot to be able to share this journey with you.

And if you feel like exploring a little more, you’re always welcome to browse my other stories as well. You can visit the Blog category to see what I’ve shared in each sub-category, or simply click through to my main blog page to enjoy all of the posts gathered in one place.

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