About Zina Kao Exclusives
Questions? Contact us.
Zina Kao Exclusives was started in 2003 when Zina Kao and her husband Wayne Wonchoba decided to live a more creative life.
How it started
In a misguided attempt to be frugal, Zina started making jewelry for herself.
Given the state of her wardrobe - an epic collection built over 15 years in retail combined with an avid sewing hobby - matching necklaces and earrings for every outfit were out of her reach; the only solution was to make them herself. Soon stones, beads, metals, tools and jewelry of all kinds spilled from every container in Zina's craft room. Like all good hobbyists, the notion of saving money had long ago been abandoned.
I Believe In You
In due course, "making a few things for myself" expanded into making jewelry for family, then friends, then co-workers. When her jewelry making reached friends of friends of co-workers, Wayne felt Zina was ready to do more. In a show of confidence, he gave her a memorable Valentine's Day gift - her own domain name: www.zinakao.com.
Taking the leap
In 2003, Zina quit her long-time career at a major specialty retailer and devoted herself to building Zina Kao Exclusives. In 2004, Wayne joined her full time, with baby Chester joining the team the following year.
Zina and Wayne used to get quizzical looks when their business was revealed. "At first I think people expected us to be in consulting, or a web-start up" laughs Zina, "I don't think they expected us to start a jewelry business! But now that my corporate clothes have all been replaced with 'arty' clothing covered in silver dust, people are much less surprised.
Making it happen
Since 2003, Zina Kao Exclusives has grown from that small Valentine's day gift to a thriving business with jewelry in over 300 stores, web sites, and museums across the United States. Zina and Wayne hope you love your jewelry as much as they've loved making it!
QUICK FAQ
Country of Origin
We hand make all our jewelry in the United States using a combination of domestic and imported materials.
Materials
We use precious metals - sterling silver, 23kt vermeil and 14kt goldfill - and semiprecious beads. Occasionally, we will use a very special man made bead, but generally our materials are natural stone. As they are products of nature, expect variation in color, size and shape of beads. Some beads are routinely enhanced - dyed, pressure treaded or irradiated - to improve the color or stability of the stone.
Like all sterling silver or vermeil, our jewelry will tarnish over time. Simply restore the finish with gentle polishing.
Limited Production
Because we look for the most special of beads, charms and pendants, much of our line is limited edition. We can create an exclusive item, line or collection just for you.
