Pounamu

About Us

For nearly five decades, the Moreton family name has been synonymous with authentic, handcrafted New Zealand greenstone. But our story begins with a single licence, a respect for the stone, and a family's enduring connection to the land of Poutini.

In the mid-20th century, very few licences were granted to take pounamu legally from the South Island's West Coast. The land, rugged, remote, and steeped in tradition, held its treasures close. Among the few who were entrusted with the right to source this sacred stone was Alfred Moreton, father of our founder Deane Moreton.

Alfred's licence, issued for the Rimu area of the West Coast, was more than a permit. It was a recognition of responsibility. In those days, securing a licence required not just perseverance but a deep understanding of the land and a commitment to working with integrity.

With the passage of the Ngai Tahu (Pounamu Vesting) Act 1997, ownership of all naturally occurring pounamu within the Ngāi Tahu rohe was returned to the iwi as part of their te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement.

This was not an ending for families like the Moretons, who had worked the land for generations. It was a new beginning for the business, moving forward with our existing collection of stone and working alongside carvers who also had mining rights.

A number of the existing stones from Alf Moreton’s original licence (Licence 321359) have been registered with New Zealand Pounamu.
 

We buy stone from a number of ethical sources who are legally entitled to find and sell pounamu in New Zealand. This includes current legitimate mining licences such as the Ian Boustridge Mining Licence 32.841 and any iwi member with a shareholding in the Awa. We are not obliged to put these stones through a process of authentication as their provenance has been established.

While not all pieces carry the New Zealand pounamu trace code, our customers can be confident that the pieces we sell are legally obtained and genuine NZ pounamu (nephrite jade).

Our Taonga have been carved from genuine, authentic New Zealand Pounamu with a history of ownership and provenance. We proudly stand behind the origin of our stones and we are privileged to share their stories.