Wednesday 3 June 2009

Deaths Head Ring

Since Keith put on the original Courts and Hackett skull ring in 1978, David and Bill have received countless requests for a copy but their original decision that the ring should remain unique has meant that there is no replica mould and no duplicates. 
Now, for the first time and only available from them (www.courtsandhackett.com) is a magnificent new deaths head ring sculpted from the same human skull used for the original. 
Using unique techniques developed in their workshop they have created the ultimate skull ring. Exquisite details include an immaculately carved bone structure, individual teeth and finely engraved cranium. 

Crafted in solid 925 silver each ring will be stamped with the Courts and Hackett hallmark guaranteeing authenticity, date, materials used and country of origin.



















57 comments:

hunterbill said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Bob said...

I wanted a silver skull ring, although there are some great skull ring designers, I decided on the Courts and Hackett Keith Richards Deaths head ring(based on the conversations at moronosphere.com. The process of purchasing was smooth. Just a bit of advice. C&H are clear when ordering to get a professional jeweler in sizing (wide-band) your ring. A good professional jeweler won't charge for sizing. I had my jeweler watch me pull off and on 3 wide bands till he surmised by the effort it took to get off my finger the right size. On the ring. The deaths head ring is stunning, a nonpareil rendering of the cranial, nasal and maxilla bones. Also the ring is true to the upper set of teeth (ten) but the design is unique to create the illusion of lower mandibles. Finally the inner band has a 925 silver stamp and both makers mark. Sincerely the Deaths head ring has a mysterious hypnotic quality, a masterpiece. Thank you.

Onnoval said...

Really wonderful, stunning skullring. I have collected some nice shaped skullrings over the past years, but this one looks staggering. I ordered one yesterday. With regards to Keith and Courts and Hackett.

ninamae66 said...

This ring is the ultimate symbol of Rock and Roll. I had hankered after owning the original 'Keith' ring for AGES! Now I have one, I feel complete. It never leaves my finger.....I LOVE IT. My aim is to keep it on for as long as Keith has, thanks to Bill and David for reissuing what is undoubtedly the coolest, most beautiful piece of jewelry there is.....hands down.

ninamae66 said...

P.S. I forgot to mention that the packaging of the ring is supreme too.....

A R Kleeman. said...

Undoubtedly the "Keith Richard's Death Head Ring" must be one of the most copied skull rings that there has ever been (there are thousands of them on Google), and every copy or knock off that i've ever seen is junk in comparison to this. it seem that this one makes a great modern day "Momento Mori", congratulations to Courts and Hackett - Brilliant work!

new_barbarian said...

Dear David and Bill,

Great to see you have a blog, just wanted to stop by and wish both the best, and thank you again for the ring. The compliments keep coming, and I tell them to check out your site to see what it's all about. Hope all is good, take care.

Joe Slaier

Anonymous said...

I received mine 4 days ago. Its a beauty and it fits like a glove. I don't think it will leave my finger ever...! Thanx C@H

Desert Rat said...

Hey there Gent's, just received the ring and it is superb! I do love the "shadow" finish and the incredible detail, it's very imposing and I think the shadow finish helps with reducing the visual impact slightly, which in the case of this ring is actually a plus, not so "shouty" but plenty of presence none the less...a terrific piece...

Cheers - Anthony.

Anonymous said...

Hi,
Can somebody please give me a photo white the ring on the finger!

loetsen@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I live in Barcelona, Spain. Before the summer ('09) I ordered the ring for my boyfriend, who is a huge Stones fan and all of his life wanted to have Keith Richards' skull ring.... He had bought some imitation skull rings over the years, but never was satisfied. So when I found out about Courts & Hackett original ring "re-issue" I immediately bought it for his birthday. The first time it arrived, the ring was too large, I had the measurements wrong, so I asked them for a change, and I had another one sent, which didn't fit either, because somehow we couldn't get the size measurement right! So for the third time I sent the ring back to them for another exchange and this time the right size arrived and well my boyfriend just couldn't be happier!! Bill and David and everyone involved in this whole exchange madness were totally cool, very helpful and nice, it has been a real pleasure dealing with them. And most importantly, the ring looks and feels absolutely perfect, I would recommend it to everyone.
Thanks Bill & David!!!
xoxoxo

Unknown said...

Hi there,
Well, after long time and travel, because I live in Brazil and a friend of mine bring to me, a week ago I finally put my hands on my ring, and... WOW!
It's incredible, amazing, stunning!
Simply a masterpiece, it's not a ring, it's a magic jewel!
You really can fell it when you put the ring in your finger at the first time!

I want to say to Bill and David my thank you very much for the work and attention.

In the links bellow you can see some images of my ring, hope you enjoy.
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/9716/skullringblog1.jpg
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/2482/skullringblog2.jpg

Cheers and all the best.

Urbano

Desert Rat said...

Urbano, thanks for the extra images, well done - I've worn my ring 24/7 since getting it on the 14th of September, it can start some conversations and stop others....the curiosity and cool factor doesn't diminish with time...rare in a world of "me too" isms'....

Cheers - Desert Rat.

Anonymous said...

Dear David and Bill,

I just came out of hospital and recieved my ring!! This is a true piece of art and i am really, really proud to have this ring made by you!

It fits perfect, even though it is a heavy ring!!

Many greetings from Holland, Miranda

Anonymous said...

Hi all

Why did you all want the death on your finger?
Can you please explain me?

cheers

Anonymous said...

What else would you want as a perfect symbol of life on your finger ( look at Keith, he still lives!)

Anonymous said...

Why a Skull Ring? I can’t speak for everyone but I will give it a go.

I do understand the question, the skull as a symbol has both positive and negative connotations life affirming and life ending.
On the negative side there is the connection with the Nazi’s, the occult, human sacrifice etc...

In pre – columbian america, the skull was given an honored place in the religious iconography of the aztecs and related tribes of mexico. their descendants, both indians and people of mixed european and native american heritage, continue to venerate the skull and the skeleton during the national ‘day of the dead’ ceremonies, when skulls made of sugar are eaten and offerings are placed on the graves of deceased relatives and friends.

There is a history of using the skull as an icon in the West; it exists in Classical/Renaissance literature. philosophy and art.

From the Middle Ages in the West, skulls acted as memento mori, reminders that time passes rapidly, life is not endless, and earthly things are transient. They appeared on funerary monuments, in still-life paintings, and were held as representations of saints.

An example is the still life vanitas vanitatum of the middle ages, a reminder of the transitory quality of earthly pleasure symbolized by a skull. pictorial arrangements are dealing with the vanity of the intellectual world (globe, books), and of the ‘vita voluptaria’ (musical instruments, smoking implements).

Often painters continued the old tradition of including appropriate captions or texts on their pictures. the favorite was the admonition from ecclesiastes I: ‘vanity of vanities; all is vanity’. The transience of human existence is often brought out also by other symbols like the candle and the hourglass.

Memento mori is a Latin phrase meaning "Remember you shall die". It names a genre of artistic creations that vary widely from one another, but which all share the same purpose: to remind people of their own mortality, to appreciate life and to waste no time “Carpe Diem” (seize the day).

During the Renaissance Memento Mori could be an artistic work and were often in the form of a personal object - necklace, ring, belt or belt buckle perhaps even a walking cane....I wonder if this ring became Keith Richard's personal Memento Mori?

I did see in a book that in an interview with Keith the ring acts as a reminder that all of us are the same under the flesh, no matter what our station in life we are all the same in the end.
My personal copy of the ring has been my constant companion over the last 6 weeks, the shadow finish has aged very well, it rubs away leaving areas of high shine and more areas of graduated shadow, it really is a work of art, as opposed to being just a “skull” ring, it is superbly detailed and finished, it is the type of thing that ultimately becomes a family heirloom....once again, well done Bill and David.

Desert Rat (Anthony)

Anonymous said...

Hi all

Thank you very much for the clear explaination, I see the positive side now as well!

cheers,
Andy

Anonymous said...

I received mine February of this year. Desert Rat (Anthony) could not have said it any better. Sure there are those who wear skulls for the scare factor but mine remind me that mortal life is finite. A concept that the power and money hogs of this would need to grasp. I too have assembled a nice collection of skull rings. All different, nice and some one of a kind but, when the C&H DHR was released I had to have one. It has both the legacy of the OG KR skull ring and the realism matched only by one other jeweler I know of out of New Zealand. My only question is why did you wait so long to release it? Well, I'm glad you did. Am very happy with mine. As had been said many times before, take the time to be sure of the size. The one they made for me fit perfectly first time.
John (USA Florida)

http://s357.photobucket.com/albums/oo11/jajcarrero/?action=view&current=CHDeathsHead-01.jpg

Vincent. Australia. said...

I've wanted one of these rings for 30 years. I work as an illustrator and cartoonist and the skull is one of the great artistic metaphors. Mortality, equality, the list goes on. I have searched the web since it's inception for something like the Richards' skull ring and have found nothing but cheap and silly rip offs.I've googled the Courts and Hackett name many times to try and get a link and earlier this year I got it. I ordered one ring and it was so magnificent I ordered another. They are the best I have ever seen and worth every penny. Excellent work lads. Thanks for ending a 30 year obsession. Say g'day to Keef for me.

Anonymous said...

great work boys. keep it rockin!!

Anonymous said...

Just a quick quiz, who are the punters buying the ring? (me I'm virtually a tattooed and branded Stones fan)
I have recruited several acolytes to the C & H ring owners club (Q: club, collective, fans, believers?) Just putting it out there... to see what the cross section of owners actually is...Cheers - The Desert Rat.

Anonymous said...

My ring arrived this week. A birthday present. I could not believe how it felt when i put it on. The fit was perfect, The quality, WOW! I love it. My wife asked if it will come off? My reply- " FROM MY COLD DEAD HAND " Thanks Guys! Joe.

Unknown said...

I received my C&H ring a week ago. This ring has such presence that people can't ignore it. I've received many compliments on it. It's mass and weight alone are impressive, but it's the attention to realistic detail that really makes it remarkable to me. Other skull rings I've seen have a cartoon like quality about them with their devilish grins evil slanted eyes. It's this rings commitment to reality that gives you that reminder of the inevitability of death. No exaggeration is necessary. I had originally planed on collecting rings from around the world but after having seen this one, nothing can top it. That's why I ordered another one to put on my other hand to mirror it. I can't wait to see what other jewelry that you guys put out. Thanks so much. Chris (from Canada)

kingklick said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
kingklick said...

Hi, i am interested in purchasing a death head skull ring.How much does it cost and where do i buy it from.Please let me know. Thank you
-PG

Anonymous said...

Received my ring a few weeks ago.
As Bob wrote: see a professional jeweler for sizing, I did, size was perfect.
As Ninemae66 wrote: Packaging is beautiful. And it was.
As Desert Rat wrote: Shadow finish is very inposing. Not ostentatious.
As for owner: I am retired military, now working for federal gov't. In my early 60's. Not rocker, goth, punk or any other group type. Just a day worker. You will not be disappointed purchasing this ring. It's an heirloom piece.

LMJ said...

I am hoping that I may be the southern most owner of a Courts & Hackett Death Head Ring. I live in Dunedin, New Zealand (45deg 51’48”S, 170deg 30’51”E) I ordered my DHR back in February 2010 but did not receive it until April 2010 due to it sitting at Heathrow Airport because of the volcanic eruption at Eyjafjalla in Iceland. It did eventually turn up, and as a musician, I wear it with pride every time I go out on stage to play. I may be a bass player but I know that there is a bit of rock and roll Keith with me every time. Thanks Dave.

Spike said...

Hey guys, Spike from Hong Kong here, and I just received my C&H ring two days ago. To say that I love it would be an understatement. This is not some cheapo kiddie crap, this is a serious ring that makes a statement. I expect that I will wear this every day for the rest of my life. I've just blogged about it here:

http://hongkietown.com/2011/01/keith-richards-skull-ring.html

Anonymous said...

Could somebody post more pictures of their C@H ring on their finger, etc? I'm interested in their work, but would like to see more normal pictures of the Death's Head ring before deciding on any purchasing ideas.

Unknown said...

I have been obsessing over this ring since I first saw it on Keith's hand on his book cover. I haven't ordered it yet because I still can't explain why I want. There is something about this piece that will not leave me. Peter in Montreal

tetsuya@aerosmile said...

I have got Courts and Hackett skkull ring.. It's amazing! one of the best skull ring I've ever got. My favorite has been Thirteen Designs (Japanese brand) skull, this Courts and Hackett's should be more Rock'n'Roll. Let the Courts and Hackett do the talking!

Anonymous said...

OK so I've had my ring since Since September 2009 and have worn it daily, no complaints, it is one of the few objects that I own that has become a constant, had many comments and many compliments, it truly is a unique piece of jewllery/art, if you are on the fence about it then I say take the plunge, in a world where there is a kind of homogenized sameness to so many things that we own this ring is unique....

Desert Rat.

Big Phil said...

OMG!!! I just got my two rings that I ordered...1 for me & 1 for my bro. These things are AWESOME!!! this is probably the best skull ring that I own and I can't wait for C&H to make something else along the same lines. The quality is great and it didn't take long at all to get made. I love my ring!!!
Thank you C&H!!

Muralman said...

A few days ago I received my Courts and Hackett Deaths Head Ring and may I say that it exceeded my expectations!

C&H did a masterful job. It fits me perfectly and feels wonderful. The detail and finish of the ring is top drawer. I could not be more pleased.

If Keith Richards himself offered to trade me his own personal skull ring for this one I now have .... I would turn him down!!

That is how much I like this ring and value the splendid quality and artistry that they put into its creation. Great job!
David Courts,Bill Hackett and Vipa Designs Studio 26 must be congratulated for this fine piece.

JJS
Katy, Texas
USA

Anonymous said...

Gentlemen- just wanted to let you know I just received my ring, no. 829, and it is, indeed quite beautiful. Perfectly sized, lovely patina, exquisite attention to detail-- worth every penny (or pence??)!

Thank you- it has been a pleasure doing business with you.
cheers,

leo

Comet said...

C & H,

I received my ring yesterday, no.846. The anticipation was something I haven’t felt for some time, the unboxing process was exhilarating filled with epic amounts of anticipation. When I lifted the pouch containing the ring its weight was finally revealed, a chuckle came over me. When I finally had the ring in my hand I was like a kid in a candy store, you couldn’t wipe the smile from my face. The ring is awesomer!

Where to start. I had a request which was immediately addressed, from there I placed my order and was given notice throughout the process. When I was notified my ring was shipped I wasn’t expecting it to cross the pond in a day! That’s right, left the UK on a Monday and it was signed for the next day before noon, I couldn’t believe it. The service provided was top notch.

The ring is a work of art first and for most, let alone a personal statement. It’s heft, size, detail, finish, and over all jaw dropping value is difficult to put into words. After a considerable amount of research and wealth of knowledge gained I’m very pleased with my decision to purchase from C & H. I look forward to growing old with my little/big friend which I have yet to name, I think I’ll go with something British. Show and tell time...

Thank you David & Bill for sharing your talents.

Cheers m8s.

~Daniel | Canada

Guy / Canada said...

As I sit here on my dock, overlooking the lake at sunset, the weight on my finger is a reminder of the fine craftsmanship and attention to detail of my favorite piece of art

Comet said...

...I went with Bertie.

Look'in plush...

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/3159/shadesringwatch.jpg

Anonymous said...

Ordered mine about 10 days ago, the wait is killing me (it's like Christmas Eve for a 6 year old child), will post up pics when she arrives (I'm going to make mine a female)

Ant

Tom said...

I just received my ring and WOW! Unbelievable! This thing is HUGE, solid, and heavy! And the detail is utterly remarkable. The pictures on your web site do not do it justice. And the packaging is first rate. Excellent, excellent job. Thank you for taking the pride and professionalism you do. It’s quite evident in the results of your work.

Tom

USA

Anonymous said...

Received my ring two weeks ago.
I have to say that it looks better than I expected.
Your impressive craftsmanship is what makes it so easy on the eyes and so comfortable to wear despite its heavy weight.


Thank you C & H for creating such a beautiful ring

D

Ant said...

Recieved mine 2 days ago, hasn't left my finger and unlikely ever will. I love it. Take a look at pics here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66157889@N06/sets/72157627261833007/

Much Love

Ant

iG said...

Exelent work! Thank You, Courts and Hackett, please, do not make this Ring anymore.

iG said...

http://dephiction.net/courtsandhackett.html

J.Perkins said...

I just received my ring today and it fit perfectly. I was expecting it to be a nice piece of jewelry and I have to say it went way beyond my expectations. It is great and I can't stop looking at it. I have noticed on here that people have mentioned a specific number for their ring and I was curious as to where it is found. Thank you very much Courts and Hackett.

Anonymous said...

Happy new year, David and Bill. I got my Deaths Head Ring in the mail a couple of days ago, and it's awesome. A very well made and comfortable ring, unlike a lot of skull-ring knock offs---this is body and soul, baby.

Best regards,

A. Martin.

Anonymous said...

I ordered one of these 3 weeks ago and I can't wait to receive it. I have another skull ring but this appears to be the Cadillac of all. I'll post again as soon as it arrives. C&H stated in an E-maill they will send it out within 30 days. I'm anxiously waiting.

Anonymous said...

My ring arrived today and it is amazing. It's bigger and heavier than I imagined......that's a good thing. The craftsmanship is impeccable. There is no skull ring out there with this kind of detail. This isn't a skull ring from a flea market or the county fair. This is the real deal. Most important. Go to a jeweler and get your exact size. Mine is a perfect fit. Not too loose or too tight. You cannot take this to a jeweler and get it sized. That would ruin these rings. This is a quality piece of jewelry. It took C&H three weeks from my order to e-mail that the ring was on it's way. Once sent I had it from FedEx from London to Florida in 3 days.

Steve said...

I received my ring today (06-11-12) and I'm more than impressed. I have several high end quality rings from some great artist, but bar none this is the top of the food chain. The size , weight and feel has far exceeded my already high expectations. I'm overly excited to start wearing it everyday. It took 26 days to arrive to North Carolina, but well worth the wait. Thanks for the exquisite piece. I only wish you guys made more than just one skull ring. If you ever elect to design another one, please notify me first!!!

Hari said...

I received the Death's Head ring Yesterday, its a fantastic work of art!!!.
It has a certain magical/hypnotic charm to it..the details, the finish the size, the weight.....everything about it is stunning...Love it absolutely.
Thank you C&H for making this happen for me.
Many Thanks,Hari

Anonymous said...

Ring arrived in Canada in time for Christmas... an amazing work of art. My husband loves it. Thank you!

Stephen Robart said...

Thank you so much :) I am slowly wrapping my head around this concept and your articles are very helpful

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Anonymous said...

Just received my ring yesterday! Unbelievable quality and I couldn’t be happier with it. This is an heirloom piece that will be in my family for generations. Thank you so much.

Anonymous said...

I got my Finger measured today and there was a mighty Conversation at the Jewellers … reference the sizing I used a Wedding Ring Sizer but the Jewellers said I should go slightly looser as the Skull Ring is Large anyone have any thoughts on the Sizing…. Larger or Snug Fit ? Cheers in advance Dino