FAQ

We offer loose sunrise shells in all Ben Franklins Stores island wide. Click the "Wholesale Locations" link on top of web-site's home page to view store locations, hours of operation and our locker numbers. We also offer loose sunrise shells at all Douglas Trade show at the Blaisdell Center as well as lots available on @sunriseshellswholesale instagram page. Feel free to text or call direct if you need a supplier 808-223-8895 and we will work with you.

We set up at many public events where you can come browse our collection of Sunrise Shell Jewelry in person. Events will be listed on the bottom of our web-sites home page. Many events are being cancelled now due to Covid19. If you would like to meet in person in the meantime. Contact Brian at 808-223-8895 to set up an appointment. We have a mobile store and we are located on the North Shore of Oahu. We can set up a day and time to meet near sunset beach.

Our Bracelets Category and styles feature Sterling Silver. Our Wire Wrapped Pendants feature Sterling Silver and 14kt Gold Filled wire Our jump rings feature Sterling Silver or 14kt Gold Filled Our Chains feature Sterling Silver or a 14kt Gold Plating over a Sterling Silver core. (we offer 16, 18 and 20 inches) Our Clasps on our Sea Shell Lei's feature Sterling Silver or 14kt Gold Filled Our Hand Braided Cords Feature a puka shell finish, in a variety of colors and sizes Other styles feature natural material we find locally here in Hawaii

We warranty a few of our products for 6 months from the date of purchase. If for some reason your Wire Wrap, Puka Back or Puka Top Breaks we will fix free of charge. Customer will just need to Mail Back to us and pay the shipping cost for us to mail product back to you once it is repaired. After 6 months we charge $20 to re wire a shell in sterling silver or 14kt gold filled, $40 for a puka shell to be mounted in the back of the sunrise shell and $50 for our signature Puka Top design plus shipping cost.

We do not offer refunds on online orders. We will allow exchange towards online store credit within a 14 day time frame of your original order. Customer will have to mail your order back to... Sunrise Shells Hawaii P.O Box 546 Haleiwa HI 96712 and also pay the shipping cost of the new item, as well as the price difference of the new item if it is of more value than original order. No refund if the new item is of lower value of the original item.

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU AND WE VALUE OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE Cant find exactly what you're looking for? Do you need personal assistance with your online order? Would you like to contact us direct or even meet us in person? Call or text us direct at 808-223-8895 (Brian) or send us an e-mail at aloha@sunriseshells.com and we will response as soon as possible. Monday-Sunday 9am-6pm Hawaii Standard time. We are located on the North Shore Of Oahu.    

Sunrise Shells Hawaii values customer service. Once we receive your online order, we will package and we ships all orders weekly United States Post Office (USPS) Priority Mail. You will then receive your tracking information to follow your package to your address.

NO! Every sunrise shell is different.  If you look closely at detail and characteristics, you will notice each shell is totally unique from each other. One of the hardest things to do as a treasure hunter and designer is matching earrings of same color, size, characteristics. Sunrise Shells Hawaii offers beautiful matched earrings. It takes a large collection of shells to be able to match perfectly matched earrings. We also say to customers at our craft shows for example, that we each have our own unique finger print. We are all different. Same as the sunrise shell. Everyone is 1 of 1. No 2 shells or people are 100% identical. Im a twin for example: but if you look closely at my twin brother next to me you will see the difference. Unlike farmed pearls or other man made products, Sunrise Shells are all natural from the Hawaiian Waters and are totally unique with their own story, as we are. It is said that the shell that you select is more like the shell that selects you.

NO! We personally do not believe in drilling holes in sunrise shells. Drilling holes weakens, disrespects, and devalues the shell. (It's like having a perfect surfboard than drilling a hole into the surfboard). However some sunrise shells that we find have a natural hole in the shell and we would utilize the natural hole to Crete a unique jewelry piece by maybe incorporating a gem stone, birth stone or diamond.  As artist there are many ways to design and create beautiful sunrise shell jewelry without needing to intentially drill a hole into the shell. All of our designs are created to feature the sunrise shell without having to drill a hole. Our sterling silver or gold filled wire wrapped sunrise shells pendants and necklaces for example, is a design that can be worn, and the customer has the option to simply cut and remove the wire in the future to be able to redesign the sunrise shell into a different style. Our other designs such as our popular Puka Back style and our signature Puka top style pendants and necklaces, we custom attach a natural puka shell either to the back or top of the shell with our secrete technic that we have perfected in our workshop, ready for a chain or cord of the customers choice. Our sterling silver bevelled pendants and necklaces is another technique where the silver holds the perimeter of the shell. There are many options and ways to be creative.

Our parents were looking for shells in the late 70's and then in the early 80's and 90's six kids were born into our family to also be raised with the same love and passion of searching for sea shells, surfing, fishing, ocean activities and country living. While home schooling at a young age we spent endless hours on the beaches and in the waters. We had a deep love for all ocean activities. Learning the science of how the ocean swell directions, tides, beach erosion etc would bring shells to different beaches. We were very blessed to be looking for sea shells throughout our childhood, and all the way to this present day. In our childhood, there was less people on the North Shore of Oahu. Also sunrise shells were not that popular as they are nowadays. Locals knew of the rare vibrant colored shells but not tourist and foreigners. We use to call the shells the rainbow shells as they where found in different vibrant colors of the rainbow. They are so hard to find. You don't find sunrise shells, they find you. We also collected puka shells and a variety of other Hawaiian shells always hoping to find the sunrise. It was super rare and like finding a Hawaiian diamond. To this present day I personally love shell hunting and gathering and love creating beautiful sea shell jewelry. My twin brother and I still live on the North Shore and always search for shells. We also both now have daughters and are sharing the knowledge with the next generation. We always teach them to never take no live shells and they both love searching the beaches and diving in the shore breaks. It's the best feeling seeing our daughters with that same love and passion and water knowledge that we had at that young age. My twin brother and I have become known as DaBraddahs. We now search from the beaches to 130 feet deep. We love the under water world.

We enjoy walking the beaches , snorkeling the shallow waters and risking our lives scuba diving in the depths of the ocean and underwater world. We DO NOT take any living shells out of the ocean. We are eco friendly. We believe tasking living shells out of the ocean is a very negative energy and disrespectful. Sunrise Shells are so special and the only way our kids and grandchildren will be able to enjoy finding them, is if we all lead by example of 100% not taking living shells.

Yes. Sunrise Shells have a very special energy. They come from the paradise ocean surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian's call Hawaiian ocean salt "pa'akai" which represents cleansing and purification. Sunrise Shells are known to give protection, love, hope and spiritual strength. They represent a symbol of carryings and sharing the ALOHA spirit. It is one thing to read or hear about it, it is another to actually wear and fell the energy of a sunrise shell. Sunrise Shells have a deep Aloha that makes you smile and become more positive which radiates to the lives around you. Sunrise Shells have a healing energy and are also used as tools in healing practices.

Sunrise Shells are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. They are found on the beaches or in the Hawaiian costal waters.

sunrise shell prices are based on color, quality, condition and rarity. There are many factors in determining the quality of a sunrise shell such as; condition of shell, such as defects like wear and tear, holes, cracks, durability, vibrancy and brightness of color, tiger strips on the side, condition of wings, unique character such as number of fingers or number of humps.

YES, the colors of the sunrise shells are naturally created by the mystical elements of life.

The sunrise shells available through Sunrise Shells Hawaii are all gathered from the Sunrise Shells Hawaii family. Gathering shells on the beaches and in the ocean was and is still one of our greatest passions. These skills have also helped us in keeping a healthy lifestyle and becoming the waterman we are today. Years of holding our breathe diving for shells, helps us to be more comfortable surfing big waves, and being able to hold our breathe during big wipeouts or getting caught by big surf. However it has been taught to us and we truly believe that you do not find sunrise shells, they find you.

Sunrise Shells were once only worn by royal Hawaiian families. Servants would walk the beaches to find these special colorful shells for royalty.