Mere Pounamu – Raukaraka

This is a Mere Pounamu I carved from a slice of Raukaraka Pounamu that was given to me by a mate.

He already owns a Mere, and the idea with this one was to create a replica in a different type of Pounamu so the two could be compared side by side. Same form, same intent — but letting the stone show its own character.

This piece has some really striking colour through it. At both the tip of the blade and the end of the handle, you get those rich orange tones that Raukaraka is known for. Through the body of the Mere, there are deep greens shifting through to pale, mottled greens, which gives it a lot of life when it moves in the light.

It’s about 31 centimetres long and 10 centimetres at its widest point. At the handle it sits around 15 millimetres thick, and it tapers right down to less than 1 millimetre at the blade edge. That taper gives it a clean, sharp presence while still holding a solid feel through the grip.

What I like about this piece is how clearly it shows the character of the stone. Even though it follows the same form as the original Mere, it stands completely on its own because of the Pounamu it’s made from.

Really stoked with how this one came out.