Judging from the press list on their stylish website, I must be the last writer in the country to discover jewelry from The Caliber Collection. Nevertheless, I have to mention it because it’s such a unique idea, and if I could afford it, I’d have ordered one of these bracelets immediately. Not only are they full of symbolism, but the sleek, contemporary styling and hammered finish are exactly what I look for in jewelry.
You see, these are not your average bracelets. The metal (either brass or steel) is from guns and bullet casings seized by the Newark Police Department. The numbers are actual serial numbers from those guns.
As explained on the website:
The Caliber Collection is made up of metal from 250 guns and bullet casings seized by the Newark Police Department. The result is a series of pieces that embody the gun’s transformation from a destructive weapon to a powerful symbol of renewal. A portion of the proceeds from each sale is used to fund future Gun Buyback Amnesty programs in Newark. It is our hope that this will be a model that we can roll out in other cities across the nation.
If Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s brainchild ever spreads to Denver and I can buy a bracelet that says “Denver” instead of “Newark,” I’ll be buying one regardless of the hit to my budget. (They start at $150 for a steel cuff and run up to $375 for a brass bangle with a diamond.) I’ve already written to them suggesting they offer earrings, something I wear every day without fail. Being smaller, earrings would probably be less expensive, too. Besides, I rarely wear bracelets because they interfere with keyboarding and other manual tasks.
I think the gun companies love the idea of getting as many guns off the street as possible. That way they can sell more of them. Melt away!
Only a lemur could come up with an idea like that! So, do you suppose they also get a kickback from the jewelry makers? Devious … but profitable!