Studebaker Metals Joins Bulang & Sons

Studebaker Metals is a traditional metalsmith workshop based in Pittsburgh / USA, where using classic methods and high-quality materials, they create their collection of elegantly utilitarian pieces. Each heirloom-quality piece comes to life as it is hand made on an antique anvil – we’re very happy to have them on board!

True to their motto ” Slow is Fast ” (which stretches in big letters along the wall of their workshop), the couple Alyssa Catalano and Michael Studebaker (see pic below) create pieces that are not only unique, but built to last. Each one is like a sheet of blank paper that encourages the individual wearer to create their own story on.

With their incredible love for the detail – working with fire, hammer and anvil on every single piece, Studebaker Metals is the antithesis of mass production.

Check out the short movie below to get a feel for their passion:

It was the background story and of course the products themselves that convinced us to stock them in our boutique. But there is also a personal story for us with Studebaker…

The first few times I met Bernhard he was always distracted by and watching my wrist when he saw that I was wearing my Studebaker Pivot Cuff right next to my watch on the left wrist. Obviously, this won’t treat the cases of my watches like a ‘soothing massage’, but there’s a reason why I wear it like this (but that’s not to say that I’m intentionally treating my watches disrespectfully)!

The fact is that my Studebaker Cuff is the equivalent of a wedding ring and coincidently has to be worn on the same wrist as I wear my watch, since the first time I owned one.

When my wife and I agreed that we don’t like wearing rings, we hadn’t realised that finding an appropriate alternative would be way more difficult than agreeing on a color and design of a ring. So, after several discussions and visits to different jewelers, time was running out and we were in real danger of not finding the right thing on time.

By coincidence, I stumbled across the Studebaker Cuffs during a business trip and I fell in love with the twisted legs and bought two of them on impulse. My wife liked them instantly and we decided to use them until we found something more suitable at our leisure.

That was 2.5 years ago and we both still wear them haven’t discussed an alternative option since. They’re our daily companions and have travelled a lot with us – when swimming in pools on one side of the world to oceans on the other side. In that time it can only be a for few hours that we have not worn them.

Here’s a shot of my personal Pivot Cuff next to a new one, to demonstrate how it changed through time. On top the work patina which change into a matt polished finish.

And now – Bernhard has stopped looking suspiciously at my wrist, knowing the story behind it…or maybe because he just passed by my desk wearing his cuff the same way!

Welcome Studebaker Metals