Psychedelic Swirl Mini Fordite Necklace
Tamra Gentry Design Studio
$88.00
Fordite MINI Necklace
Ships to: United States
Ships in 1-2 Business Days
About
THE STORY
I never thought I would find myself using “alternative materials” or non-natural gemstones in my work, but after seeing the swirls and colors in Fordite, and learning what it was, I couldn’t help myself. In fact, I started collecting it.
Fordite is basically layered build-up of automobile paint that accumulated on spray paint bay fixtures in the old manufacturer paint factories circa the 1960s and 1970s. Each color is the result of a separate and distinct paint job. (Some of the dull gray layers are actually primer!) Each layer was baked onto the fixture in the process of curing the coating of paint applied to the car. Since the fixtures weren’t cleaned after each paint job, layer upon layer (upon layer) built up until it had to be chipped off. Since up to 80% of the spray paint was lost to the immediate surroundings during the painting process, manufacturers got smart and came up with both better paint formulations and better processes. The old practices ceased sometime in the 1970s, elevating these simple paint chips to the level of both novelty and nostalgic collectible.
Though it is not the source of all of the supply of the sparsely-available rough material that lapidarists cut, The Ford Rouge plant and Dagenham, London, plant are two well-known sources.
Given the sheer nature of what it is, Fordite is the perfect example of “recycled” or “upcycled” material. Fordite is also considered to be an “eco-friendly” material in that collectors like me help keep the little that’s still available out of landfills (and on the other hand it is extremely rare material because the rest IS in landfills).
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THE JEWELRY
You, too, can own a piece of automobile industry history!
This TINY little piece of Fordite is the perfect size to layer with your other necklaces or wear on its own. It’s so small that it can fit on your fingertip, and it comes with an even smaller “peace symbol” charm reminiscent of a historic, bygone era. Chain length is approximately 17 inches.
This is part of a very limited edition MINI collection. I do not have any more of these, and because pieces this small are much too laborious to cut, my source won’t be cutting anymore.
Fordite, sterling silver.
One of a Kind
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FICMINI17
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