"Surfer Rings" Are Hitting California as Hard as a Serious Waves!!

Posted By Stevie Wilson on Aug 14, 2009 |

Rings That Rock is a newer designer of unique presentations of precious and semi-precious metals and stones that have a distinctly California vibe to them.
Courtesy of Jeffrey Appling, the designer/creator of this line, ihe’s just released a newer smaller collection and it’s flying out of stores because it’s more casual and in tune with a more So. Cal summer feel

However there is more to the story than just So. Calif lifestyle,. Appling had created a ring that won 1st place in an international jewelry design competition award, “Pearl Protrusion”.
Jeff considered the design options of creating less expensive versions of the original design — simply because it was so uniquely perfect.

I wanted the rest of the world to enjoy, afford, and share this concept of making jewelry most comfortable and garner the wearer 15 plus compliments a day without paying a luxury price of $10,000. I made the Surfer Ring similar (luxury -nspired) with fine gemstones for under $650 retail.

The SURFER RING is made to perfectly fit the human finge. The inside is cushion shaped because fingers are NOT round or square. They are cushion shaped in perimeter. Once the ring slides over the knuckle it locks onto the finger… perfectly! Also ring is held in place by the two pearls protruding and locking onto (touching) the finger in an almost tension-mount design. Unique in comfort, balance, and visual aesthetics, the ring seems to be floating on the finger due to the “negative space” in the the top center that separates the two round pearls and they seem to be floating on the finger as well.

What is a Surfer Ring? (since surfers don’t wear rings- particularly when surfing!)
Here’s how Appling describes the ring collection:

SURFER RINGS are a combination of various experiences ..such as… the reflection of the SOUL SEARCHING long board surfers of the 70s (see the movie Surfer Dude with Mathew McConaughey‘s character as a soul surfer –rendition Malibu) . put some wave-like formations outlined along SURFER RING’S border. Next is the the bright NEON colors. ( Hot Pink, Black, Turquoise, and more I enjoyed in Santa Monica during the 80s ( an homage to Body Glove bathing suits, Zinka on the nose. Everything was NEON!)
Finally applications and technologyof the twenty-first century (nothing really new– just a new application to jewelry) where I cross-linked pigments of paint into the upper molecules of the underlying metal (silver secretly mixed with small percentages of platinum and copper).
By baking the paint into the metal it becomes somewhat chip resistan– however the paint does wear down in time– and it is intended. This provides a cool transitional look and appearance of being used and worn– akin to a well-worn skate board, acid-wash ( or just really worn) jeans of the 80’s, and a look of underground Kustom Kulture.
I want this to start in California –making it original and authentic– before it hits the masses worldwide.

Each ring comes with a scroll (describing the story) tied with jute twine and capped off with a Maco shark tooth. It’s part of the cool factor in the marketing. According to Jeff, people need to experience this as if they were already part of this COOL underground culture (So-Cal Lifestyle) All pieces come in a the SURFER BOX stamped, “BE COOL…. LIVE FREE…. SURF LIFE.”

The most current batch of “Surfer Rings” are really much more understated and have serious fun quotient to them– made with heavy gold plate (yellow and white) as well as fun colors that might be appealing to the more fashion advernturers. Looks like Appling made a great decision on creating both colorful pieces and also the white and yellow gold-plate because his recent display in a Palm Springs Gallery practically sold out in 3 days – -during the hot desert sun (Not the typical buying or shopping weather). Price point of under $500.00 made it an easy buy since these are still designer rings with serious craftsmanship.
www.jeffreyappling.com
wwwringsthatrock.com
Go forth and buy– or at least drool!
Stevie Wilson