CREATOR SHOWCASE - Max of Guy&MAX: Inspired by the Maserati Birdcage
Fast cars, Diamonds and Design. One Word: Jackpot
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a Maserati Birdcage. Wait, I’ve got that wrong. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. Or a Maserati tipo 61. And if you’re in the market for both, there is only one place for you to buy that engagement ring: Guy&Max of Shepherd’s Market, London.
You might not expect to find two car enthusiasts within, but this jeweller’s in Mayfair hold some real gems for car lovers. Together, brothers Guy and Max run a jewellery design outfit whose most popular design comes from the motoring world.
The Maserati's legendary triangulated chassis seen peeping out from underneath the body work.
‘One of the reasons that I got into car design in the first place was that I used to sketch cars’ says designer Max, who along with business partner and brother Guy, was exposed to his father’s love of everything on two and four wheels. The pair fondly remember their father’s XK150 and before Max came along, Guy remembers an open top 1930s Mercedes.
‘Dad very kindly put sidecars on to the motorbikes to put us in but as soon as mum heard about the enthusiasm that we had for motorcycles, she made him sell the lot. He doesn’t hold a grudge. Much.’ says Guy.
The phrase 'gilding the lilly' springs to mind.
Neither have ever raced. And nor did their father, although he was offered a space. Max explains, ’We were never brought up on that side of cars. It’s more about the beauty and how they’re made.’
Fifteen years ago when Max had left University all of his work was digital. Naturally, he discovered 3D printing, the ultimate crossover between the digital and real world. At the time there was one 3D printer in the country which, ironically, was used in car manufacturing. He wanted to use it to make furniture and interiors. But the expense was too great. It was his brother, Guy, who was running a diamond and jewellery business with his father that persuaded Max to aim smaller. Why not apply his skills to designing beautiful jewellery?
Guy’s gift of the gab has paid dividends: today, everything that Guy&Max makes is printed in metal. The joy of 3D printing jewellery means that they can make robust structures that cannot be handmade. The triangulated design (pictured below), if handmade, would require soldering at each joint. This would make the overall structure too weak to securely hold their glittering trophies.
The triangulated pattern that acts as the setting for the stones is based on the chassis of the Birdcage.
Max is adamant that cars can be works of art. But to be art there must be a story behind it, ’I didn’t want to intrude on what had been done before.’ says Max, ‘And from what we’d learnt from dad, the structures that Italians use make even engineering beautiful. Hence, Maserati and later, Ducati. If you look at the Ducati framework and things like that there’s something that makes it much more beautiful than other bikes. And so the structure that I came up with that linked to the engineering side but still had a romance and a beauty and a feel that it wasn’t this solely computer generated thing, that there was a reason behind it.’
The haves and the have nots.
The triangulation pattern couldn't be made without the help of 3D printing.
A gilded cage.
And the obligatory cufflinks for the chaps.
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Comments (3)
Love how intricate the pieces are. Any idea what printer they're using?
They use a printer that prints in plastic in the shop and then send the certain designs off to be printed in gold, rose gold, silver and platinum - can find out the specific details if you like?
That'd be great. Been wanting to take the plunge into 3D printing for a long while now.