Shell yeah: St. George woman creates handmade jewelry line from her own Hawaii collection

Written by Jessi Bang
March 3, 2023

ST. GEORGE —One woman has combined her love of Hawaii and Utah by shelling out one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces handcrafted from her own collection.

Jona Davis smiles for the camera with her custom jewelry line created from Hawaiian sea glass, sea shells and Utah rocks, St. George, Utah, Feb. 27, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Jona Davis smiles for the camera with her custom jewelry line created from Hawaiian sea glass, sea shells and Utah rocks, St. George, Utah, Feb. 27, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“I just love the beach and the water and the sand going through my toes, burying my feet into it and being able to find these beautiful shells,” Jona Davis, owner of Rock Wave Jewelry, said. “To be able to bring that home and make something that provides joy and a piece of Hawaii, especially for those that haven’t been, hand-picked by me, it’s such a beautiful and amazing place.”

As a child, Davis said she spent most of her summers in Hawaii. After high school, she moved to Hawaii for college. Now with her own children, she’s shown them the beautiful landscapes of the various islands, and in total, has visited Hawaii at least 50 times.

While taking her kids on family trips to visit, she began to collect sea glass — broken glass that is naturally tumbled by the ocean. As her collection grew, Davis wanted to share her love for the Hawaiian ocean and turtles with the world. Turtles, known as “honu” in Hawaii, stand for good luck and wisdom.

To respect the Hawaiian culture, Davis said before taking anything from Hawaii, she pays respects to the Hawaiian gods and thanks the Heavenly Father for allowing the piece to be found and the opportunity to encapsulate it into something that will last a lifetime.

Necklace pendants by Rock Wave Jewelry feature Hawaiian sea glass, sea shells and Utah rocks, St. George, Utah, Feb. 27, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Necklace pendants by Rock Wave Jewelry feature Hawaiian sea glass, sea shells and Utah rocks, St. George, Utah, Feb. 27, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

Finding the Hawaiian sea glass and sea shells is hard work, and Davis said it requires spending hours at the beach, resulting in bruises from sitting on coral and rocks. But she loves every minute of it. 

When she decided to make her own jewelry from her ocean collection, she chose not to utilize online platforms such as YouTube or Pinterest. She is completely self-taught, including wire wrapping.

When she found herself in the midst of a divorce, she channeled her energy into making custom jewelry pieces that came from her heart. 

“I wanted this to be just me, 100 percent putting it together,” she said. “I get chills when I think about that because it really has given me a sense of peace through this divorce.”

All items are put together by hand in Davis’ home garage studio, with a goal to make jewelry as unique as each individual who comes across them. When she noticed that many of the shells in her collection were broken, she recognized the symbolism that instantly resonated with her.

Jona Davis stands on the beach in Hawaii on an unspecified date | Photo courtesy of Jona Davis, St. George News
Jona Davis stands on the beach in Hawaii on an unspecified date | Photo courtesy of Jona Davis, St. George News

“At the time, I found myself broken, but I still think that I’m beautiful,” she said. “We’re still beautiful even though we’re broken at times. So when I look at a broken shell, I don’t look at it as broken anymore. Parts may be taken away, but we can make new parts and make it beautiful again.”

The Southern Utah landscape is a stark contrast to the sparkling shores of Hawaii, but Davis said she equally loves both. And that inspired her.

By rock-hounding all over Southern Utah, she’s made jewelry from the state’s native rocks such as Tiffany stone, Wonderstone and Utah’s state rock – Honeycomb. In her combined Utah and Hawaii pieces, she places Utah rocks inside the Hawaiian seashells.

“The reason Tiffany stone is my favorite is that each one of us is so different, just like the rock,” she said. “Everyone brings something to this world, no matter who you are. And Tiffany Stone, if you look at it different ways, can be green, purple, light purple, dark purple, black, all these different colors depending on what part of the rock it comes from, which I think is beautiful.”

Leftover "imperfect" sea glass is made into additional art, St. George, Utah, Feb. 27, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Leftover “imperfect” sea glass is made into additional art, St. George, Utah, Feb. 27, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

Less than two years ago, she began to sell her handmade jewelry to her neighbors who encouraged her to showcase her jewelry at local markets. She decided to take the leap and has attended various events across Washington County ever since.

For those who have talents or gifts and might be apprehensive to share them with the world, Davis offered this advice:

“Remember that as long as it comes from you, your heart and your mind, it doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks, as long as you genuinely love it. Starting my own business has been challenging but so rewarding. Don’t let that fear and uncertainty prevent you from putting out there what you love and what means a lot to you.”

Rock Wave Jewelry currently offers necklaces and earrings, with plans to expand to bracelets and anklets in the future. Davis said she strives to make every customer happy and can change out necklace styles and lengths. Commissioned work is also available. 

For more information on Rock Wave Jewelry and to see available pieces, follow @rockwavejewelry on Instagram.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessi Bang was born and raised in Utah and has a passion for nature and the great outdoors. She graduated from Kaplan University in California with a degree in criminal justice. She has extensive experience in marketing, content creation, photography and copywriting. You can find her showcasing outdoor adventures through her blog, “The Rambling Raccoon.” In her free time, she enjoys climbing mountains, trail running, working out and cuddling her two lovable pups.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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