Nephrite is the most common pounamu. It is made when greywacke and dendrite fuse together under extreme heat and pressure.  

  The Maori people have been carving nephrite for hundreds of years. So much so, that it has become an important part of Maori culture. Due to the stone’s hardness and difficulty to obtain, it became one of the most prized materials and possesses much sentimental and spiritual value right down to our day.

The Maori refer to Nephrite Jade as POUNAMU.