Why leave the beauty of this fabulous wood to automobile dashes and furniture when you can wear it? This beautiful bangle was carefully handcrafted from quartersawn burled claro walnut, and finished with a gloss lacquer, buffed to a high shine. This gorgeous bangle is a one of a kind bracelet. Although I may make another of this same wood, the patterns on it will never be the same. I went through the exact same process to make this one as I did the spalted maple in an earlier posting.
Burl describes the presence of dormant buds in a live tree. These dormant buds create a sunburst effect in the wood when the wood is quarter sawn. Dormant buds contain all the genetic information to grow new wood tissue. Why they are created by the tree and remain dormant is a mystery. Some experts believe they are formed due to injury or disease, while others believe it has to due with genetics. One thing is for certain, the effect these dormant buds have on the appearance of the wood after it has been sawn is truly a thing of beauty. For centuries burl wood has been considered a prized possession. Trees are like oysters, not every oyster produces a pearl and not every tree produces a burl. The greatest demand for burls in the wood market today is for use as veneer. These veneers adorn many of today's most expensive automobiles and are also used in the production of fine furniture, but why not jewelry as well?
I love burl wood! My husband had some and made a gorgeous executive set with it. (pen, letter opener, and magnifying glass)It's on my blog if you want to look.
ReplyDeleteI do too, anything with a burl or a flame and I HAVE to have it!
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