This Is One Wicked Watch. The Tourbillon RM 052 Titanium Skull From Richard Mille.

There are a lot of Skull watches out there. I've even blogged about a few myself. But this new Richard Mille Tourbillon RM 052 Skull Watch is different. The watches actual inner workings are integrated into the skull design.



In the RM 052 the baseplate and bridges take the form of a grade 5 titanium skull. Richard Mille has pushed the concept further by integrating this into the movement. The upper and lower jaws hold the rubies of the tourbillon cage.



The back of the skull is actually the movement’s center bridge. The skeletonized baseplate and bridges were subjected to rigorous testing to insure their optimal strength.



The entire movement is connected to the case by 4 bridges that are inspired by the crossed bones from flags on pirate ships. The new case design, with its opened flanks, continues this visual allegory to the human skeleton.

The incredible drool-worthy timepiece is available in a Limited edition of 21 pieces, which includes 15 pieces in titanium and 6 unique set pieces in red or white gold.

images and information courtesy of Richard Mille

Richard Mille

Knotted Skull Keyrings With Swarovski Crystals from Alexander McQueen.

Combining two of the most prevalent trends, skulls and Swarovski Crystals, these keyrings from Alexander McQueen are fun and functional accessories that make a nice gift for any hipster regardless of gender or age.

Available in a silver finish with Swarovski Black Diamond Crystals or a gold finish with colored Swarovski Diamond Crystals, the keyrings feature a knot on one end and a skull on the other. Made of solid brass with anti-allergic finish, the knotted end simply screws off so you can easily add the keys.

Gold Knotted Skull Keyring by Alexander McQueen:





$215 USD
buy the gold finish one here


Silver Knotted Skull Keyring by Alexander McQueen:




$215 USD
buy the silver finish one here

Gilding The Carnivore. Human and Animal Skulls Dipped In 24kt Gold.

above: Eduardo Garza's Warthog Skull dipped in 24kt gold, 16"L x 9"W x 9"H, 9 lbs, $8,448

In addition to his luxurious bookends, cabinet knobs, napkin rings, trays, boxes and objets d'art, Eduardo Garza dips replicas of full adult-sized Human, Gorilla, Tiger, Alligator, Warthog and Saber Tooth skulls - and a Shark's jaw - in real 24k gold to make a decorative object that is hard to ignore.


above: the artist with one of his pieces

To give you an example of the size and weight of these pieces, the Human Skull and Jawbone dipped in 24k gold (shown below), measures 8"L x 5"W x 6"H and weighs approx. 5lbs.



Shown here are his museum quality adult skull replicas (and in some cases, authentic) dipped in 24kt, but they are also available dipped in nickel. They can be mounted or not and the base is not permanently attached. Each piece is handmade in New York by Eduardo and signed especially for the purchaser. Prices range from $1,700 to $9,000 USD and can be purchased in his online store.

Alligator Skull (replica) dipped in 24kt gold:


Tiger Skull (replica) dipped in 24k gold:





Authentic Shark Jaw dipped in 24k gold:


Gorilla Skull (replica) dipped in 24k gold:


Saber Tooth Cat Sull (replica) dipped in 24k gold:


Human Skull (replica) dipped in 24k gold:



Garza is known for his sculptural crystal and gemstone gilded items for the home carried in high-end department stores and luxury boutiques.

Artist Biography:


Harvard-educated Eduardo Garza is passionately dedicated to his cultured organic creations and with his studio located in New York City. However, his inspirations are drawn from fantastical, surreal, and global worlds.

Eduardo captures moments of wonder in nature through his truly unique works of art. These marvelous ideas come to the artist through his dreams, deeply rooted heritage and, through his modern interpretation of nature. His creations have gained Eduardo a loyal following among prestigious art connoisseurs including renowned jewelers Harry Winston, celebrity collectors and royals from around the world.

Using only the highest quality and ethically sourced materials, Garza moulds his dreams into wonderful unique and fantastical creations. His work adorns the homes of the world’s most influential arbiters of style, including Prime Ministers, Nobel Prize winners and international notables. (courtesy of eduardogarza.com)

Eduardo Garza creates wonderful pieces which have come to the attention of discerning art lovers all over the globe. For more information please contact them at info@EduardoGarza.com

A Chip Off The Ol' Giant Skull Speaker. New MinuSkull Speakers by Kuntzel+Deygas.

above: The 2010 Grateful Vanity accoustic sculpture and a 2011 walnut miniskull speaker by Kuntzel+Deygas

above: artists Olivier Kuntzel and Florence Olivie (Kuntzel +Deygas) with their new minuskulls

These cool new 50 watt portable speakers, the miniskulls, designed by Kuntzel+Degas were inspired by their unusual and striking oversized accoustic sculpture, Grateful Vanity.


above: Olivier Kuntzel and Florence Olivie (Kuntzel +Deygas) stand in front of their accoustic sculpture, Grateful Vanity



The new tabletop version, handmade in France, comes in walnut wood or lacquered piano black or lacquered piano white. Not only are they scary looking, but the prices are equally frightening at €1600 for the walnut and €1750 for the black or white- not including shipping.




MinuSkull can be connected to any source of sound (Ipod, mp3, computer,etc). The better the source the more you can enjoy MinuSkull’s high-quality sound.



Technical components inside the skull consist of two broadband Fostex Fe-83 speakers with a membrane made out banana leaf pulp (the eyes). A mini subwoofer for a large and natural restitution. They chose a tailor-made speaker (made in France), which lies underneath the skull. A tailor-made Mosfet amplifier that allows a transparent and dynamic quality of listening without using an additional amplifier.



MinuSkull is expandable : this speaker can be used alone or as a duet in order to improve the stereo effect. Using 5 MinuSkulls creates the basis of a Home Cinema Sound System (a subwoofer should be added in this case).




In the designers' words "MinuSkull is a mini loudspeaker made for a high-quality sound experience at home. Its extraordinary Hi-Fi system creates a perfect sound, and most of all, to our own standards, it has a soul."

specs:
WIDTH 9.25 Inches HEIGHT 10.63 Inches, DEPTH 5.91 Inches
WEIGHT : 11 lb
BANDWIDTH : 60 TO 20,000 HERTZ
AMPLIFIER: 50 WATTS
CABLE POWER : 220 VOLTS
Connection : 2 Cinch RCA stereo entries
all images and information courtesy of Kuntzel+Deygas and Minuskull.

buy them here

Guns, Bones & Steel; The Gothic Reliquaries Of Al Farrow

Look closely at these incredible sculptures and you'll notice the mosque and church-like structures are created with guns, gun parts, bullets, artillery, gears, chains, bullet shells and bone fragments.



These reliquaries by Al Farrow mix munitions with religion and result in some very impressive and detailed three dimensional projects. Below are several of his pieces shown in chronological order of their creation.





above: Reliquary for the Extended Family, Chains, Wood, Glass, Bone, Lead, Iron, Found Objects, 18"h X 25"w X 9"d, 1995







above: Trigger Finger of Santa Guerro (I), Gun Parts, Bullets, Steel, Glass, Bone, 25"h X 14"dia.







above: Trigger Finger of Santa da Guerra (II), Guns, Bullets, Bullet Shells, Steel, Bone 20"h X 16"dia, 1996







above: Piece of the True Gun of Saint Guerre, Gun Parts*, Bullets*, Steel, Bone, Crucifix, 58"h X 18"w X 16"d,1996







above: Leg Bone of Santo Guerro, Gears, Gun Parts, Bullets, Steel, Glass, Bone, Crucifix, 47"h X 18"dia, 1998





above: Foot Bone of Santa Guerro, Tank Periscope, Bullets, Bullet Shells, Brass, Glass, Bone, 18"h X 17"w X 9"d, 1996







above: Skull Fragment of Heilige Krieg, Guns, Gun Parts, Bullets, Steel, Bone, Nazi Gas Valve, Piece of Berlin Wall, Cast Resin, 59"h X 27"w X 27"d 1996







above: Martyred Hand and Gun of Saint Guerre, Bullets, Gun, Glass, Lead Shot, Wood, Bone, 10"h X 10"w X 8"d, 1996









above: Skull of Santo Guerro, Guns, Gun parts, Bullets, Lead Shot, Steel, Glass, Bone, Steel, Crucifix, 42"h X 20"w X 20"d, 1998







above: Trigger Finger of Santa Guerro (III) Guns, Bullets, Bullet Shells, Steel, Glass, Lead Shot, Bone, Crucifix, 33"h X 13"w X 13"d, 2001







above: The Last Finger of Santo Guerro (V), Guns, Gun Parts, Bullets, Bullet Shells, Glass, Steel, Bone, 11"h X 10"w X 10"d, 2001









above: Synagogue (I), Guns, Bullets, Shot, Steel, Antique Torah Cover, Glass, 32"h X 36.5"w X 27.5"d, 2005









above: Trigger Finger of Santo Guerro (VI), Bullets, Guns, Glass, Shot, Steel, Bone, 22"h X 16.5"w X 16.5"d, 2006









above: Fingernail of the Trigger Finger of Santo Guerro, Bullets, Guns, Glass, Steel, Fingernail, Antique Textile, 12.5"h X 10"w X 10"d, 2007







above: Mausoleum (II), 29”h X 24”w X 24”d, Bullets, Artillery Shells, Steel, 2008







above: Synagogue (II), 36”h X 28”w X 44”d, Guns, Bullets, Shot, Steel, Polycarbonate, Antique Torah Cover, 2008







Al Farrow (above) was born in Brooklyn, NY and has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than thirty years. An accomplished sculptor in a wide variety of media from bronze to clay to assemblage, Farrow generally adopts the language of an historical period in his work, updating the imagery or materials to make cogent observations about contemporary society. Past projects have included bowls created in the style of the Mimbres culture, an indigenous people who lived in what is now the southwest and northern Mexico, and painted in their traditional single reed brush style with images of B-1 bombers, radiation symbols, tanks and other military images.



In recent years he has used munitions—bullets, guns, hand grenades, bombs—to make three-dimensional projects that resemble Christian reliquaries, Islamic mosques and a Jewish menorah (shown below):







Al Farrow’s work is included in the public collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the San Jose Museum of Art, 21c Museum (Louisville, Kentucky), All Saints Episcopal Church (Pasadena, California), and the Government of the State of Israel. He lives and works in San Rafael, California andhas exhibited with Catharine Clark since 1994. (bio courtesy of Catharine Clark Gallery)



Sculptor Al Farrow has had numerous solo exhibitions since 1970, and is currently represented by Catharine Clark Gallery in San Francisco. His work has been in group shows at the Oakland Art Gallery, the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery, Falkirk Cultural Center in Marin, the San Francisco Art Institute, and the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, among many others. He has over 20 years of bronze casting experience. His work is in many important public and private collections around the world, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the di Rosa Preserve in Napa, and other collections in New York, Germany, Italy, and Hong Kong.



Be sure to see his amazing cathedral:





alfarrowcathedral.com

photos of cathedral in process by Marty Tibor



Al Farrow