The Mokume Gane technique was developed in 17^th century Japan, following the example of the layered metal technique found in the “katana” Samurai’s sword. The technique allows forging a metal that looks actually like wood. The literal meaning of Mokume Gane is “Metal that looks like knots in wood”.

The production of Mokume is a long process that requires concentration and exactness. The example that appears in the photograph is the fusion of silver and copper metals. One has to perfectly wash and polish the metal plaques in order to prevent gaps and oxidization in the heating process.

The metal plaques are pressed together between two thick steel plates and then the entire apparatus is put into a high temperature furnace. Due to the fact that the metals are placed under extreme pressure, they heat up and eventually merge. This process is known as diffusion. This requires great concentration on the part of the artist because the most effective way to identify the moment of fusion is observing the shades of red and orange produced by the molded hot metal. The premature arrest of the process will prevent the merging of the metals where as stopping the process too late will cause the melting of the metals, and therefore the destruction of the Mokume.

After the billet of the Mokume is ready, the process of creating of the textures begins. Creating indentations in the metal and rolling it out creates the effect of knots and wood grain. We must continually re-enact this process, until we receive the desired texture. The use of different metals obviously creates different shades. The most common metals used in traditional Mokume are silver, copper, Shakudu (a combination of gold and copper), and Washiboishi, (a combination of silver and copper).

 The use of The Mokume allows me as an artist to master the production of the material itself, and not just the usual process of working with prepared metals as in ordinary silver and gold crafting.

Each Mokume jewel is my own exclusive and unique creation that is entirely hand made by me. The process of creating the Mokume entails “intention” - a kabbalistic concept that means concentration of consciousness. It also entails “Samadhi”, a term from Yogic philosophy, meaning the ability to change and create objects on the physical plane by focusing our awareness.

The Mokume rings are widely used as wedding rings, because of the symbolism reflected in the unification of the different metals, expressed in the merging of the two metals into one integrated texture that is simply breathtaking in its harmonious beauty.

In 1995, I had a dream that sent me looking for a mysterious green stone:
“A store appeared in one of the alleys. It had a fantastic variety of artifacts including unusual stones. I asked the sales girl for a green stone named “Shamballa”. She said that they didn’t have that stone and showed me stones from different star systems.”

The answer to my dream came that same year. A friend told me about a mumbling beggar who was walking around a street near my home in Tel-Aviv saying all kinds of things… Despite of my hesitation, we went out looking for him. We soon found him. He studied me for a few minutes while my friend went to get him something to eat. Then he said to me ‘You’re the mystic, you’re looking for the stone!’ He yelled ‘Once I had gold; now I have Iron!’

Two weeks later a different friend brought me a copy of ‘The Emerald Tablets of Thoth the Atlantean’. After looking at this book I understood that this was the green stone I was looking for. It had everything - alchemy, Shamballa, and the great pyramid of Giza….”
Enjoy the cosmic joke!
David

Luben, Kesem, Philipe and Banga
Since childhood I was connected to nature and animals. Today I have two cats and two dogs (and of course the Discus fish).

I am at times speechless at the happiness people share with me -
Good Day and Happy New Year!
I do not remember if we told you how we received the rings…. on Saturday Dec 22, we were expecting the rings to arrive.  In our minds we imagined their arrival so that we could have them for the ceremony.
We had gone out for a couple of hours.  When we returned there was a note that the Postal Service had attempted to deliver the package and that we could pick it up the next business day…. too late for the ceremony!!  So Judy went to the back of the Post Office, got the emergency phone numbers and began calling.  The first 3 were not valid, but the 4th was the cell phone number of the person in the post office where the package was taken!  His number was “definitely not supposed to be listed as an emergency number!”)… so he said…. :)  And….. they were just about to close!  We grabbed some holiday “goodies” (nuts, cookies), jumped in the car, and zoomed over to the Post Office, 30 minutes from our home.
Well, he met us at the door with our package!!  We laughed and laughed at the unlikely series of events that allowed us to have our rings for our sacred wedding ceremony!  You had first told us that the rings would be made by the 24th or 25th…. then we found out that you shipped them on Thursday, the 20th, with “2-5 day shipping”.
Then, as unlikely as it first seemed (except to our imaginations!) the rings arrived in time!  Woo-hoo!  Divine Intervention at work!!  :)  What fun!!
Thank you for these wonderful rings!  We are happy to know of your beautiful products and the magnificence of your character!
We happily recommend you to all, Dear Ones!
Blessings All-Ways,
Phil & Judy
We are sending you a couple of pix of the happy couple… us!
All is Love, Dear Ones,
Amarananda & Nadiananda

Phil & Judy chose the 18k gold Lotus ring as their wedding rings.

Hey everyone!

I’m happy to announce the latest winner of my jewelry model design contest and also the last winner for 2007 - Mystical thoughts of Inner Dreams.

This model was designed by Aez Bernal and here is what he wrote about it:

“Are you searching for something? is there something in your mind that you want, but you dont know what it is..something that you feels fulfilling.. This Pendant symbolizes, an Icon of a Lizard that promotes dreaming or inner thoughts. both are searching for one another. they stand in one stone vice versa, somehow closer but in different plane. searching for one another with the thoughts of finding something that could fulfill their inner dreams. ”

I have  the pleasure of sharing with you a truly unique testimonial I received.

“The product arrived in the stated period and I would like being thankful to it, therefore its work is wonderful. I was made an impression.
I am thankful to you.
I am sending two images of a box, that I gave the present to my best friend.
The third image is the place where I stow with it to deliver the Crop Circle. It’s magic.
Best regards,
Ricardo “

As you can see, Ricardo bought the Personal Creation pendent for his firend and added his own “personal creation” with the box. You can also see the photo of the place he intended for giving the gift.

Kate Raudenbush is a sculptor I had the pleasure of coming to contact with a couple of months ago.
She recently sent me photos of “The Guardian of Eden” sculpture she had built. This sculpture was commissioned by the Burning Man project (an immense gathering of art, fire, dance, music and love in the Black Rock dessert in Nevada, USA.)
“The sculpture is an 18 foot tall plasma-cut steel climbable lotus flower.  Those who climb it can recline in its 12 enormous petals and can gaze into a giant mirrored seedpod at its center. At night the seed pod glows from within illuminating those in the petals’ embrace. Below, the sacred symbol of the Flower of Life projects from the center of the flower and into a star-shaped pool of lagoon blue.” Says Kate, “It was a powerful place to meditate, gather in a drum or chanting circle or even get married.”
Today the sculpture is on exhibit at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, Nevada through the end of January.
You can see in the photos here the statue as it existed in Nevada during The Burning man event – in one of the photos Kate is sitting below the progection of the Flower of Life. The other image is a detail of the glowing light below the sculpture.  

Kate also wrote: “I can only say that I am overjoyed that the sculptures’ spiritual message of rebirth and enlightenment  will reach the outside world, and hope that the people who interact with if will feel the energy and love that I put into it.
I hope you are doing well and thank you again for your inspiring work.
With love and thanks,

Kate”

You are all welcome to visit her wonderful and inspiring website to view some more of her interesting creations!
KATE RAUDENBUSH EXPERIMENTS

A letter  I received from a sweet woman from Belgium:

“Dear David,
I want to let you know how I came on your website!!! 
I’m very close with Grandma Chandra (had 4 readings with Judith Moore - a medium who is telepathich with Chandra!).  Through a friend from the Netherlands I got a lot of information (pitty that most of the information is in English).  Recently I an email so I began to surge for more information about the Gordian Knot….. I came (by Google) by David’s website….and I was especially touched by the photographs of his cats!!!!  I feel that he’s created jewels that come right from his heart and soul….that makes them so special and unique!
This way I want to let David know that I admire and appreciate his work enormously….
With all my love and blessings.

Annie”

Gerrit and Lindi, two dear people from South Africa, recently sent me this:

“Dear David…
Last night while studying the Sepheroth I decided to build a 3D model of the Etz Chaim to widen my perspective on this magnificent structure. Like you will see on the attachments we used marshmallows and straws. I am sendind you this as an example of what it looks like. I must say that even using these basic materials it is so strong in its completion and for me….very beautiful. Hope you will find this interesting and maybe an idea for a 3D pendant. Regards and peace. Gerrit & Lindi”

They say “a picture is worth more than a thousnad words” and look at what Li from Holland (one of my favourite costumers) sent me!!

You can see here two Mobius rings, The Five metals ring, The Lotus ring, a Tibetan Hung ring and a Happiness ring.