WIth great delight, I received a package last week my from friends Mark and Stephen at Deadringer, NZ.

This is the first time I’ve gotten the full treatment – the custom carved casket.

Mark asked me what I wanted carved in the casket. Just have fun with it, I said. Do whatever you feel inspired to do.

Below is what they came up with, and I could not have been more delighted.

I wish I’d taken pictures of the whole thing as I opened it; the process is so dramatic that it would have made an amazing slide show. The casket is bolted closed with tiny brass screws, and comes with a tiny screw driver. Here, though, is the lid.

 
 
 
 
 

…and what was inside after I removed the screws.

The necklace is a thing of beauty. Later I’ll have Barb model it for me; it fits beautifully. It’s truly elegant. I love women’s jewelry that retails the edge, the biker-gothic-rock-n-roll feel, and yet is still beautifully feminine. This is s necklace that requires a lovely feminine neck to display to full effect.

The ring is Deadringer Minima Classic, modified to my request with a 13/spade design (you know how much I’m a sucker for spades). It’s sized as a pinky ring, and fits, as always, absolutely perfectly. I’ve never work a pinky ring for daily wear; this ring is so comfortable I just might manage it.

The thing that sets these guys apart from anyone else in the business is both the incredible detail, and the creativity; the photos below show both.

Below the cut, you’ll find a couple more shots; these two are the rings beside my Classic, and my Yorrick, for size reference. This shows the scale side by side, and on the hand

For all shots, click to embiggen.

Read more “Casket of Silver”

It should be no surprise that I’m a HUGE fan of Steve Gillespie’s Deadringer jewelry. Steve’s just a brilliant designer, a jeweler of consummate skill, and a hell of a good guy.

I love everything they’ve ever made, and would happily own one of each, if I were made of money.

That said, I’m particularly thrilled with this new set of beaded necklaces they call “Mourning Beads”. They’re elegant in a way nothing Steve’s done before is, without loosing that deadringer edge. They’re 100% Steve Gillespie, 100% Deadringer, but they’re also something I can see with evening wear.

They’re just stunning.

Mark describes these necklaces thus:

Some time last year during a workshop argument animated debate on jewelry of the Victorian era, we struck upon the idea of a string of beads. Hardly an original concept, granted, but we wanted to give them a Deadringer twist without loosing the essence of yesteryear. Steve was already well underway carving a small skull and a selection of bones, so after a few months of trialing a variety of beads and bead sizes in various formats, we have settled on the combination of the skull with polished natural black Agate in a traditional necklace format, terminated with a femur & ring clasp based on your customary fob assembly

Pictured below are a couple of variations on the necklace; it’s offered in three variants (Alternating, Regulated and Sectional), and in 16 or 18 inch lengths. Ranging from $295 to $655 (depending on length and configuration), these are actually pretty affordable.

Click here to order or to see more details and pix.

I just love these; I want to put them on every beautiful neck I know (for an example of a beautiful neck I don’t know, modeling the necklaces, look after the cut).

  

  

(click to embiggen)

Read more “Deadringer ‘Mourning Beads’”

I have to share these photos of Carlos’ new piston ring, customized for celebrity chef Guy Fieri.

More details over in Dora’s Guy Fieri Blog.

Carlos is such an awesome guy; I really want one of everything he makes. I wear his spade ring every day, and he recently gifted me with a prototype of his huge skull ring. I’m stoked to see him getting wider notice. If you’re watching Minute to Win It (Which is supposed to be cool, though I have not yet checked it out), you’ll see more of Carlos’ work all over Guy’s hands.

Carlos’ web site is here: http://www.sinners-inc.com/ though it’s out of date and (alas) flash heavy. He’s looking for a web designer to help him revamp it though, so it should be updated soon. He’s also got a myspace page with more current info.