A keepsake made by hand, one piece at a time. This steel ring dish is handcrafted and hand-stamped with "I still do" at the center, then darkened by hand in Lake Murray, South Carolina.
Steel is the traditional metal for the 11th wedding anniversary. The words sit in a clean modern typeface, quiet enough that you only really notice them when you set your rings down at the end of the day. Nothing to personalize and no proof to approve, so this one is ready to give.
Each dish begins as a flat sheet of heavy gauge industrial steel. It is cut, formed, and hammered by hand. The darkening solution is then worked over the surface with a rag, built up in layers and added to wherever it needs more, until raw steel turns a deep gunmetal gray. The high points of the hammer marks are sanded back lightly afterward, so light catches the peaks while the recesses stay dark.
That final step is what gives these dishes their depth, and it is also why no two are the same. The patina takes hold a little differently every time. Some finish closer to charcoal, others closer to a soft pewter gray. Yours will not look exactly like the photographs, and that is the point.
Details:
• Handcrafted steel - formed and hammered by hand, one at a time in Lake Murray, South Carolina
• Small (3"): approximately 3" diameter x 1/4" H
• Finish: hand darkened patina, sealed with a protective wax coating
• Traditional 11th anniversary metal, and a fitting choice for the 6th (iron) anniversary
• Gift-ready packaging - arrives in a gift box with a bow
• No two are alike - every dish takes the darkening differently
Handmade to order. Please allow one extra day of processing, since the darkening has to cure before the dish can be waxed and packed.
Each piece is made with care by a female-owned small business in South Carolina.
Please note: This is a decorative keepsake dish, designed to hold rings and small keepsakes. It's not intended for use with food or drink. Steel will spot if it stays damp, so keep it dry and wipe it with a soft cloth.
