This year has shown us a pattern of jewelry designed to be fun, from a bejeweled animal kingdom to interactive styles meant to be worn as much as played with. A collection of glow-in-the-dark jewelry, then, should fit in just fine.
Eponymous brand Chris Ploof showcased a line of its glowing jewelry at the JCK show in Las Vegas in June, and it really is as cool as it sounds. Paired with Ploof’s already fetching pieces, the ability to glow is on a whole other level.
“I just really like things that glow and had wondered for a while about how watch companies apply the glow-in-the-dark markings to hands and faces,” says Ploof, via email. “I found out they use a lume powder—a powder that recharges in ultraviolet (UV) light and also glows in black light—mixed in a binder. I had also seen a few pieces made with lume and reached out to the creators to see if they wanted to collaborate on a few rings. I told them my plan to heavily etch Damascus and apply lume, and they told me it wouldn’t work. Nothing gets me more motivated than a negative answer!”
He succeeded, obviously. “I set about designing some Damascus patterns and also deep-cut rose engine patterns and experimenting with lume and various binders. I settled on a UV curable binder and various lume powders and got the project moving. And people loved them!”
Whether customers will want to know or want to understand the technical mastery behind these styles, they will find themselves persuaded to own one, particularly if they’re in the market for a conversation starter. I mean, these pieces are practically superheroes. Imagine this ring, masquerading as just a “regular” jewel during the day, suddenly revealing its superpowers, glowing with (insert reason for superpower here—gamma radiation? Spider venom? Your call) by night. If you want jewelry that’s fun, you’ve certainly found it.
“I look at the lume pendants, cuffs, and rings as a totally fun piece of jewelry,” says Ploof. “In daylight it’s the wearer’s secret to share. But at night, you can wear it on the outside—capture the interest of others, put it on display for that attention. These are all about fun.”
Top: Cuff bracelet in Damascus steel by Chris Ploof, applied with lume powder for a glow-in-the-dark effect (photos via Chris Ploof)
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