Translations:Maximilian Eckart (Da VII 12)/16/en

Royal Customers

Together, they moved back to Honolulu where Maximilian returned to the jewelry business. He produced clocks as well as classic gold and silver jewelry, but also traditional Hawaiian jewelry made from kukui nuts (candlenuts) along with boar and sperm whale teeth. Young couples asked him to melt down 5-dollar gold coins and turn them into wedding rings. One of his regular customers was Hawaiian King David Kalakaua. After Maximilian’s store had been robbed at least once, he took home every object that he manufactured for the royal family for safekeeping. The royal family placed so much trust in Maximilian Eckart that, with his clocks, he became the King’s personal "timekeeper" at horse races. Maximilian also escorted the King to his poker games on a regular basis. Maximilian even covered the gambling debts of the King, who frequently owed him several hundred dollars as a result. Maximilian never accepted the plots of land and estates that the King offered as compensation, however. With such prominent clientele, the business grew steadily, and Maximilian was able to move to new and bigger premises in 1882.