This stone variety is a rare form of kawakawa pounamu. It is named after the leaf of the karaka tree because of the orange colour that the thick oxidized crust takes on from the earth’s minerals. The flesh of this pounamu is usually olive to light green in colour. The early lapidarist would cut the thick crust off and only use the heart to fashion jewelry but carvers these days tend to carve it right to edge as the colour contrast can make a unique showpiece.
