Once in a while, LUGDUN ARTISANS gets a special commission from individuals worth noting. A few weeks back we were asked to fabricate a pair of silver ear plugs for a French artist with a keen sense of style, both personal and professional.
Inspiration:
The artist proposed for LUGDUN ARTISANS to create a one of a kind set of 34mm ear plugs with no specific design in mind. From there, company founder Marcos Miranda came up with an idea inspired by the Celts of Gaul (modern day France). Silver, curves, spirals and organic design was the formula to make these custom pieces. A Triskele (triple spiral design) was chosen to be the main focal point on the front of the plug, with sun rays around the disk’s perimeter. After having drawn an initial draft of an idea for inspiration, manufacturing work began using ancient metalsmithing techniques.
*Some of you may ask, why a Triskele? This is a common symbol found throughout the ancient and modern “Celtic” culture. There are many meanings associated to this symbol including the motion of action, cycles, progress, revolution and competition. Life-death-rebirth, spirit-mind-body, mother-father-child, past-present-future, power-intellect-love and creation-preservation-destruction can also be associated to it. It has a strong meaning and can be associated to all of us in one way or another.
The process:
Different stakes and mini anvils had to be used to give form to the complicated conical plugs containing concave and convex curves.
“The most important part when metal shaping is to make sure your seams are tight”, says Marcos. It’s important to note that when you fold your cylinder, you need to create a zigzag edge pattern on the seam to create the most surface area for soldering, and to reduce the strain caused by stretching the material when you are forming it. When the forming pattern was determined, a line was drawn around the cylinder to keep the hammered pattern consistent. It is important to reheat the silver after each round to keep the material malleable. Ignoring this step will cause you to risk fracturing the silver, destroying your hard work.
*(There isn't any specific way to form metal. It really all depends on the stake or piece of material you are hammering the sheet onto. It's up to you to determine how much you want to fold and where.)
Once the main cylinder was formed, it was soldered onto several layers of disks and cylinders giving it its unique shape. The final touch was to add an inward dome cap on its rear and a Triskele on the front with sun rays around the disk’s perimeter.
With the easy part over, the hard part followed. Creating a second plug mimicking the first can be a challenge. It’s important to pencil in key changes in the plug’s shape onto the new set being worked on. Following the same technique previously used, lines are drawn around the cylinder to keep the hammering consistent giving the second piece it’s final shape.
Additional reading:
The use of Earrings and Ear Weights throughout human history.
Earrings or ear decorations of any type have been long standing throughout all cultures and time. Below is a view of an old post https://www.lugdun.com/single-post/ear-weights-and-the-7-top-fashion-trends
discussing the history, development and safe use of earrings, plugs and ear weights.
History
Earrings are an ancient jewelry. Since the beginning of time, earrings have come in all shapes, sizes, materials and even weights. They’ve been sought after and worn by the powerful, the confident, the rebellious, and the distinguished. From ancient civilizations like those found in Mesopotamia, to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Western Europeans, Asians, Africans, Inuit and Native Americans, earrings are a piece of jewelry that continues to be worn.
Use
Worn by both men and women alike as a form of statement jewelry, earrings and ear weights remain a top fashion accessory in any culture. This fashionable jewelry lends distinction and is ideal for casual or dressy occasions. They can work great as party wear, or simply to change to a particular look during your day. Ear Weights allow individuals to wear interesting materials and styles that may not be possible with standard piercings. Some of the most popular mens & womens earrings and ear weights are made from silver.
In this article, we are going to emphasize on the topic of ear weights. They are cool, distinct, and artful. Wouldn’t you agree? But when it comes down to ear weights, there is a lot more to them than just style. Regarding their proper use, not knowing what’s a misconception and what is a fact can lead to blood loss to your ear lobe, uneven stretching and even shrinking of your ear altogether!
The term “ Stretching “ is the means by which one slowly enlarges a body piercing to accommodate increasingly larger sizes of jewelry. The way this is done is by slightly stretching the earlobe tissue and allowing it to relax and heal at an increased size. This process is repeated over and over again until you reach your desired result. Slow, proper stretching will leave a piercing elastic and healthy.
Now, the way ear weights work in terms of stretching, is that they will only stretch the skin on the very bottom of your ear lobe. When stretching your ear, you want to avoid this. Stretching the entire diameter of the ear is super important. Not doing so may lead to breakages when the skin begins to thin and even scarier loss of blood flow which may lead to the skin dying off.
Stretching a piercing is a very individual act, and everybody is different. It’s important to listen to your body. Your skin may be more or less elastic, or your body may heal faster or slower, so it is best to simply pay attention to what your body is telling you. As a rule of thumb, you should wait a minimum of 3-4 months before stretching a fresh soft tissue piercing. Healed ear lobe piercings can often be stretched at the rate of one size (about 1mm to 1.5mm or 1/16") every 30 to 45 days, (minimum.) Good practice is to stretch every other month, however, the longer you wait, the healthier your ears will be.
Stretching with weights
Since the beginning of time, weight has been used across many cultures as a way to stretch piercings. It’s possible to stretch by wearing jewelry specifically designed to act as a hanging weight, or by wearing weight through tunnels. Weight through tunnels is the healthiest method for stretching because it allows you to vary the amount of weight, and the tunnel allows the weight itself to be distributed across a larger surface area. Tunnels should be made of a rigid material. Ear Weights should only be used periodically and you should permit your lobes extra time to relax after their use.
The Key to proper stretching is Rotation. It’s important to rotate your ear weights during the week, in order to help retain the structure and existing size of your currently stretched ears. Wearing different size ear weights will prevent the ear from shrinking and from stretching at the very bottom of your ear skin.
When stretching your ears, stick to professional ear weights! Wearing heavy objects that were not intended to be used as ear weights or plugs in your ears is just plain dangerous. Items like locks are definitely a “no do”!
Proper ear weights can come in all range of styles. Styles include:
Hoop weights – Designed like a heavy opulent circular bar bell with its weight sitting balanced through the stretched opening.
Coil Weights – Similar to hoop weights. However, rather than a simple opening at the bottom, their ends continue around to create a coil shape design.
Shield Weights – Similar to plugs in the way they are inserted. Their design is made to slide over the bottom edge of the stretched lobe, resting on it when fully inserted.
Keyhole weights – A very common design. Their opening looks like a keyhole. The stretched ear slides through the thinner opening and sits at the larger circular area center of the design.
Below is a list of 7 Top handcrafted Ear weight Designs by LUGDUN ARTISANS, perfect for those looking to style their stretched ears.
For all you new to the brand, LUGDUN ARTISANS is a New York City born company dedicated to creating quality handcrafted jewelry. The company’s goal is to create mens and womens rings, bracelets, earrings, pendants and necklaces with designs that are rugged, tough, big, heavy, modern, sophisticated or just plain cool! Favored by the elite biker, tattoo, rocker and rebel community, LUGDUN ARTISANS has become a known brand amongst celebrities and the average rebel alike.
Never mass produced, each piece is artisan handcrafted in their NYC workshop with a unique personality as a result.
As makers of quality handcrafted jewelry, LUGDUN ARTISANS currently offers 7 beautiful and stylish Sterling Silver Ear Weights perfect for any man or woman looking to stand out from their peers.
Check them out below:
Hand crafted / Solid Silver Ear Weight with Opal stones. U.S.A. Made.
This beautiful set was inspired by the ancient Egyptian ANHK, the symbol for “life”. A unique clever design that folds open to facilitate its application and that contains a “hidden” pin screw key to secure itself safely onto your tunnels and stretched lobes. It incorporates an opal stone in each extremity and is meticulously handcrafted by American artisans entirely out of sterling silver. It’s an excellent accessory for a man’s or woman’s distinct casual look. * Please note that the lower base is 11mm wide. We recommend a minimum diameter of 12mm for these to fit through. See more now!
Approximate Specs (Individual):
Length (mm): 44.5
Width (mm): 30.2
Weight (Gr.) 24.9
Weight (Oz.) 0.87
Hand crafted / Anvil Forged Solid Silver Ear Weights. U.S.A. Made.
These raw, chunky, heavy silver Ear Weights were first born through the hands of LUGDUN ARTISANS founder Marcos Miranda. An Anvil forged design that is made to resemble a “U Hook” or “U-Lock”. They are fashion accessories that are meant to demonstrate your confidence, edge and power. Sticking to the company’s basic principles, these heavy silver weights represents every individual, whether man, woman, biker, rocker or common rebel, with a quality piece that is made of pure solid sterling silver. An excellent accessory for a man’s or woman’s casual look. Click to see more!
Approximate Specs (Individual):
Length (mm): 31
Width (mm): 22
Weight (Gr.) 45
Weight (Oz.) 1.6
Handcrafted / Solid Silver Ear Weights. U.S.A. Made
A pair of distant cousins of the LUGDUN ARTISANS Double Finger Ring, these Sterling Silver Ear Weights are certainly statement pieces. They are an exotic set of long intertwined tongues coming from two demonic looking faces representative of the LUGDUN ARTISANS brand. Their design is focused on making a true fashion statement with you as the centerpiece. Meticulously handcrafted by American artisans entirely out of sterling silver, they make an excellent jewelry accessory for any man or woman looking for a distinct casual look. Learn more!
Approximate Specs (Individual):
Length (mm): 55
Width (mm): 24.7
Weight (Gr.) 35
Weight (Oz.) 1.24
Handmade / Solid Silver Disk Ear Weights. U.S.A. Made
A beautiful iconic symbol representative of the sun, god and eternal life. The disk and spiral are symbols that have been used throughout time and found in numerous civilizations. These awesome disk ear weights are certainly cool! A distinct design that accentuates your ears with beautiful “shields” that have been handcrafted by American Artisans from sterling silver. Perfectly balanced, these ear weights rest comfortably on your ears while contributing to your fashionable style. Perfect for any rebel fashionista, these weights are a great fashion accessory for men & women looking to stand apart from the crowd.
Approximate Specs (Individual):
Length (mm): 50.2
Width (mm): 50.2
Weight (Gr.) 38.2
Weight (Oz.) 1.35
Hand Forged / Solid Silver Ear Weights. U.S.A. Made
The number “6” is such an amazing number. It can be found in mathematics, music, astronomy, biology and even religion. This cool timeless symbol makes for an awesome design that hangs comfortably on your ear lobes. The ear weights are a hand forged anvil design made from sterling silver that certainly stand apart from the everyday fashion accessory. Stand out from your peers with these distinct handcrafted ear weights made right here in the U.S.A. Click for more!
Approximate Specs (Individual):
Length (mm): 58.55
Width (mm): 39.5
Weight (Gr.) 36
Weight (Oz.) 1.27
Handcrafted / Solid Silver Ear Weights. U.S.A. Made
Just like their twin brothers, the LUGDUN ARTISANS Tongue Face Ear Weights, these Sterling Silver Ear Weights are certainly statement pieces worth noting. A pair of barbell-like designs with two demonic looking faces facing opposite ways. Their design makes a strong fashion statement with you as the centerpiece. These men’s and women’s ear weights are meticulously handcrafted by American artisans entirely out of sterling silver. Representative of a brand focused on distinct and quality craftsmanship, these pair of ear weights are an excellent jewelry accessory for any man or woman pushing for a bold look. See what it's all about!
Approximate Specs (Individual):
Length (mm): 42.75
Width (mm): 37.2
Weight (Gr.) 35
Weight (Oz.) 1.24
Hand Crafted / Solid Silver Ear Weights. U.S.A. Made
A continuous spiral of hammered Sterling Silver rods that make a for a fashionable statement. Perfect for any man or woman, these handcrafted ear coils are well balanced and are designed to sit gently on your stretched ear lobes. A distant cousin of the LUGDUN ARTISANS Horn Ring, these well crafted ear weights are great for men or women looking for an cool, edgy look. See more!
Approximate Specs (Individual):
Weight (Gr.) 15
Weight (Oz.) 0.53