Cutting edge technology with old school hand skills is a winning formula
We have always been craftsmen working with our hands and hearts to create works of great depth and beauty, and always will be, but there's no way around it, technology is a huge part of our process. It allows us to do things that could not even be imagined by the ancient metalsmiths who first developed Damascus Steel and Mokume Gane. From our digitally controlled molten salt furnaces, to the mass spectrometer in our high vacuum helium leak detector, we have appropriated technology from science and industry to put it to work in the service of our artistic vision. We have developed many entirely new processes of working with our materials and this in turn allows us to make Damascus and Mokume jewelry that is unrivaled in complexity, serviceability and mesmerizing beauty. Our proprietary methods empower us to do this and we are ably assisted by some pretty awesome tools!
To often, there are Damascus and Mokume rings on the market today that are made in a different way. They are are conceived in the wasteland of modern commodity-type manufacturing and borrow only as much artistic pizzazz as can fit in their production process to produce compromised work that only approximates true artistry. The finer details of things like pattern design and proportion, durability, etch depth, even size-ability are sacrificed in the interest of lowering the cost of production. You really don't have to be an expert to see that many of these rings are not designed around expanding the limits of what is possible, but rather working within the limits of efficient manufacturing. When this is combined with slick and oftentimes deceptive advertising (like a “Damascus Steel Ring” that is in fact a single metal ring that has a laser engraved pattern on the surface) it can be challenging to identify a truly unique, authentic, artisan made ring.
At STEVEN JACOB, technology will always take the back seat to creativity. Steven's work has always been about unlocking the secrets of metals and creating new methods for working with them. And Jacob draws his inspiration in the studio each day from his desire to expand the design possibilities of patterned metals which fuels his drive to bring them to a new generation. We invite you to be a part of this process by checking out the fruits of our labors on display here on this website. We use many, many, tools to make each piece you will see here. Some are big, some miniscule. Some are as primitive as a sharp stick, and others mind-boggling complex. All are subordinate to our vision, informed by our hearts, and dedicated to supporting our most important tools, our hands.
