These dragon scale or magatama beads, are woven into this necklace randomly throughout the braid. The finish is a delightfully arranged beaded glass bead lei that will will last forever (with normal wear and tear). The matte brown/bronze metallic finish gives it earthy and natural tone. The dragon scale beads are some of the largest glass beads made by manufacturers in Japan.This statement necklace lei is finished with a silver toned magnet end cap that has an extra strong hold.
Our necklaces feel wonderful to wear and require little to almost no care by using a clean dry towel every few months to keep dust free and bright. This beautiful hand-crafted style necklace was made using hundreds of glass beads from around the world, that are meticulously loaded onto multiple cords and woven together on a Japanese Marudai braiding stand (see photo).
Akalei Designs make great gifts for woman, girls, and men! Akalei is the Hawaiian word for "bead reflections" which captures this unique style only available on Maui.
Kumihimo is an ancient Japanese braid making technique that creates beautiful and durable interlaced necklaces and bracelets. This art form goes back hundreds of years as braids were made for use in armor of Samurai warriors. In modern times these braids are used for belts (obijime) on kimonos