A Hollow Man.
$850
& Complimentary Express Post (Aus)
An Anchor Against the Void.
- Next day delivery on a free ring sizer with Buy now, size later.
- 99 year comprehensive warranty and restorations on all rings.
- Handcrafted by Mason Mignanelli in the Newcastle studio.
CRAFTED IN 940 ARGENTIUM®
Whiter than platinum. Harder than sterling. Fused with germanium to resist tarnish and survive the ocean.
Rated for: Saltwater / Sweat / 24-7 Wear.
| METRIC | STERLING 925 | ARGENTIUM® 940 |
|---|---|---|
|
Purity |
92.5% silver + 7.5% copper |
94.2% silver + 1.2% germanium + 4.6% copper |
|
Stabilising agent |
None (Reactive Copper is exposed). |
Germanium (Forms transparent oxide shield) |
|
Tarnish resistance |
Low. Requires frequent maintenance. |
High. Self healing germanium oxide layer prevents surface reactions. |
|
Colour |
Slightly grey |
Extremely luminous. Brighter white than sterling and even platinum. |
|
Hardness |
75VH. Cannot be heat treated. |
130-140VH after double heat treat. |
|
Sustainability |
Dependant on refiner. |
100% recycled silver. |
|
Lifestyle |
Remove for shower, surf, and gym. |
Rated for 24/7 Wear. (Saltwater, Sweat, & Shower Safe). |
|
Biocompatability |
Reactive (High Copper content). |
Hypoallergenic Shield. (Inert Oxide Layer). |
|
Year of invention |
1158AD |
1998 |
OPTION A: SIZE UNKNOWN
Stop measuring with string. It has a failure rate of 60%. If you are unsure of your size, order with “Buy Now, Size Later”.
Select: Choose “Buy now, size later.” from the size menu
Receive: I immediately dispatch a professional sizer via Auspost Express. It typically arrives the next business day.
Test: Wear the sizer for a few hours. Finger size fluctuates with temperature and hydration. A ring that fits at 9am might be tight by 5pm. Ensure it is comfortable before committing.
Confirm: Email or DM your size to the studio. Production begins immediately.
OPTION B: CONFIRMED SIZE If you already know your size from a professional jeweller, select it directly from the list.
Standard: I use US Sizing (Numbers).
Conversion: If you only know your UK/Australian size (Letters), examine the below sizing chart or leave a note at checkout and I’l handle the conversion.
THE SAFETY NET All orders are covered by a free resize entitlement. If the fit isn’t perfect on arrival, you have one complimentary resize included.
SIZING CHART
LEAD TIMES Every ring is cast, finished, and double heat treated in Newcastle studio 01. I do not pull from a warehouse or dropship; I build for the individual. For the most accurate production times, check the front page. I update it daily.
Production Time
Approx. 2–3 weeks before dispatch.
Shipping
USA: $30 Express shipping under $500 USD (3-6 days)
Free Express shipping over $500 USD. (3-6 days)
Complimentary DHL Express over $1,000 USD. (3-4 days)
All tariffs are covered by me, so there are no surprise customs charges on delivery.
International: ~€40 shipping. If your country charges import tax or VAT, you may receive a customs bill on arrival. EU countries will often charge VAT, so it is worth checking before you order.
THE 30-DAY FIELD TEST (RETURNS) I don’t believe in “unworn” returns. A ring is meant to be worn. Once your ring arrives, you have 30 days to test it in the real world. Wear it in the shower, the surf, and at work. If you haven’t bonded with the piece after a month of active duty, ship it back for a full store credit or exchange for a different design that feels right.
RESIZING Despite our best efforts with the sizing kit, bodies change. Every order includes one complimentary resize within the first 6 months. If it feels too loose in winter or too tight in summer, send it back. I will resize the fit and ship it back to you, free of charge.
THE ONE CENTURY PROMISE This is not a standard consumer warranty. It is a 99-year service agreement designed to keep this piece in circulation for generations.
SCOPE OF COVERAGE:
Structural Integrity: If the metal cracks, snaps, or fails due to a craftsmanship defect, I repair or replace it. End of story.
Surface Restoration: Silver is a living metal. If your piece accumulates decades of scratches or wear, ship it back to the studio. I will refinish, polish, and restore the surface to factory specifications,free of charge.
HEIRLOOM TRANSFER: The warranty travels with the metal, not the receipt. If you pass this ring down to your child in 30 years, the protection passes with it. As long as the “Urban Sterling” hallmark is visible, the contract is valid.
EXCLUSIONS: This contract covers the object, not the ownership. It does not cover theft or total loss.
Sizing
Next day delivery on a free ring sizer with Buy now, size later. Make sure it fits perfect.
99 year warranty
99 year comprehensive warranty on all rings. Includes unlimited free restorations.
Argentium silver
Crafted from 940 Argentium silver to prevent tarnishing and enhance durability.
CRAFTED IN 940 ARGENTIUM® SILVER
Whiter than platinum. Harder than sterling. Fused with germanium to resist tarnish and survive the ocean.
Rated for: Saltwater / Sweat / 24-7 Wear.
| METRIC | STERLING 925 | ARGENTIUM® 940 |
|---|---|---|
|
Purity |
92.5% silver + 7.5% copper |
94.2% silver + 1.2% germanium + 4.6% copper |
|
Stabilising agent |
None (Reactive Copper is exposed). |
Germanium (Forms transparent oxide shield) |
|
Tarnish resistance |
Low. Requires frequent maintenance. |
High. Self healing germanium oxide layer prevents surface reactions. |
|
Colour |
Slightly grey |
Extremely luminous. Brighter white than sterling and even platinum. |
|
Hardness |
75VH. Cannot be heat treated. |
130-140VH after double heat treat. |
|
Sustainability |
Dependant on refiner. |
100% recycled silver. |
|
Lifestyle |
Remove for shower, surf, and gym. |
Rated for 24/7 Wear. (Saltwater, Sweat, & Shower Safe). |
|
Biocompatability |
Reactive (High Copper content). |
Hypoallergenic Shield. (Inert Oxide Layer). |
|
Year of invention |
1158AD |
1998 |
OPTION A: SIZE UNKNOWN
Stop measuring with string. It has a failure rate of 60%. If you are unsure of your size, order with “Buy Now, Size Later”.
Select: Choose “Buy now, size later.” from the size menu
Receive: I immediately dispatch a professional sizer via Auspost Express. It typically arrives the next business day.
Test: Wear the sizer for a few hours. Finger size fluctuates with temperature and hydration. A ring that fits at 9am might be tight by 5pm. Ensure it is comfortable before committing.
Confirm: Email or DM your size to the studio. Production begins immediately.
OPTION B: CONFIRMED SIZE If you already know your size from a professional jeweller, select it directly from the list.
Standard: I use US Sizing (Numbers).
Conversion: If you only know your UK/Australian size (Letters), examine the below sizing chart or leave a note at checkout and I’l handle the conversion.
THE SAFETY NET All orders are covered by a free resize entitlement. If the fit isn’t perfect on arrival, you have one complimentary resize included.
SIZING CHART
LEAD TIMES Every ring is cast, finished, and double heat treated in Newcastle studio 01. I do not pull from a warehouse or dropship; I build for the individual. For the most accurate production times, check the front page. I update it daily.
SHIPPING:
- Australia / NZ: Free Auspost Express (1-2 days AU) (2-4 days NZ)
- USA: $30 Express shipping under $500 USD (3-6 days), free Express shipping over $500 USD (3-6 days), and complimentary DHL Express over $1,000 USD (3-4 days). All tariffs are covered by me, so there are no surprise customs charges on delivery.
- International: Approx. 3–4 Weeks and €40 Please note if your country charges import tax they might send you a tax bill upon arrival. EU countries will likely charge 20% VAT. It’s good to check before you order 🙂
- (Need it faster? Email the studio for potential expedition).
THE 30-DAY FIELD TEST (RETURNS) I don’t believe in “unworn” returns. A ring is meant to be worn. Once your ring arrives, you have 30 days to test it in the real world. Wear it in the shower, the surf, and at work. If you haven’t bonded with the piece after a month of active duty, ship it back for a full store credit or exchange for a different design that feels right.
RESIZING Despite our best efforts with the sizing kit, bodies change. Every order includes one complimentary resize within the first 6 months. If it feels too loose in winter or too tight in summer, send it back. I will resize the fit and ship it back to you, free of charge.
THE ONE CENTURY PROMISE This is not a standard consumer warranty. It is a 99-year service agreement designed to keep this piece in circulation for generations.
SCOPE OF COVERAGE:
Structural Integrity: If the metal cracks, snaps, or fails due to a craftsmanship defect, I repair or replace it. End of story.
Surface Restoration: Silver is a living metal. If your piece accumulates decades of scratches or wear, ship it back to the studio. I will refinish, polish, and restore the surface to factory specifications,free of charge.
HEIRLOOM TRANSFER: The warranty travels with the metal, not the receipt. If you pass this ring down to your child in 30 years, the protection passes with it. As long as the “Urban Sterling” hallmark is visible, the contract is valid.
EXCLUSIONS: This contract covers the object, not the ownership. It does not cover theft or total loss.
MASTERWORK
Representing Urban Sterling's pinnacle of storytelling and craftsmanship.
This piece is classified as a Masterwork - Urban Sterling's pinnacle of storytelling and craftsmanship.
There are those who are lost and violent. And then there are the hollow men: the consciously empty, the perpetually depleted, those paralysed between intention and action.
Written by T. S. Eliot in 1925, The Hollow Men is a diagnosis of spiritual emptiness, the recognition of what is missing, but the exhaustion to reach for it. This ring is a wearable anchor against that condition.
The Portrait
Most signet rings project their figure outward. Here, the portrait is sculpted inward into a deep intaglio relief, creating a deliberate hollowed space instead of a presence.
The face itself is ambiguous. He is neither crying nor laughing, just empty. Eliot’s hollow men are not dramatic villains; they are empty because they are paralysed. I wanted the expression to sit in that same unsettling ambiguity.
This shrouded expression required an intensive, multi-stage finishing protocol never attempted before.
This is a deep dive into oxidisation as texture. The key was giving the oxidised recesses a precise satin finish. This prevents the deep intaglio from reflecting light and giving up its detail easily. It required a seven-step cycle of layering and removing shadow: I repeatedly burnish the solid Argentium silver, then chemically oxidise it to jet black, followed by a steel pin tumble to set that satin texture. This double-layered approach creates a permanent, weathered depth that only intensifies with time.
The sculptures edges are finished with a manual, high-polish burnish, creating a perfect tension: the dark recesses hold the shadow, while the sharp border catches the light.
Inside the shank is the poem’s most visually arresting scene, captured in relief carving.
You will find the “Valley of Dying Stars”: the perpetual star looming over four dying suns, with the hollow men separated by a rushing river that can never be crossed.
The inner band is engraved with the iconic final lines: This is the way the world ends.
DESIGNER’S NOTES:
I know this piece might not be to everyone’s taste. It is a challenging, heavy piece conceived less as simple jewellery and more as a wearable anchor for anyone grappling with the unmoored spiritual emptiness of our time.
Since there was no reference for this finishing style, the first three prototypes were scrapped. It took the fourth prototype and countless hours of bench time to fine-tune this method.
The finished piece, with its complex intaglio and multi-layered shadow, is the most technically demanding piece of design I have ever made. I genuinely believe it is built to last a century, just like the poem it honours.
If you see both the emptiness and the defiance in this piece, this one is for you.
940 Argentium Silver (heat-hardened, passivated). Handcrafted in Newcastle, NSW. 99-Year Warranty.
STUDIO MADE
To ensure structural integrity and a perfect finish, every ring is filed, heat-treated, and polished in the Newcastle studio.
Cast in Sydney. Finished by hand in Newcastle.
Origin: Newcastle (Studio) > Marrickville, Sydney (Foundry) > Newcastle (Finishing).
Method: Lost-wax casting followed by a proprietary hand-finishing process.
Jeweller: M. Mignanelli.
19-STAGE FINISHING
Upon returning from the foundry, every piece undergoes a finishing process to harden the alloy and achieve my signature surface quality.
Phase I: Structural Preparation
01. De-sprue: Removal of casting feed channels.
02. Thermal Treatment I: Precipitation hardening.
03. Controlled Oxidation: Surface darkening with sulfur compounds.
Phase II: Surface Abrasion
04. Coarse Leveling: 100 grit reduction & filing.
05. Medium Definition: 240 grit sanding.
06. Fine Definition: 600 grit sanding.
07. Surface smoothing: Radial bristle disc abrasion.
08. Pre-Polish: 1200 grit honing.
Phase III: Highlighting & Hardening
09. Work Hardening and recess brightening: Magnetic pin tumble (Shot peening).
10. Satin Finish: 2500 grit sanding.
11. Relief Highlight I: Silicon disc abrasion.
12. Relief Highlight II: Fine silicon polish.
13. Micro-Burnishing: Hand-highlighting details with a graver (Microscope assisted).
Phase IV: Final Polish
14. Interior Polish: Rotary tool cotton mop + Dialux compound finish.
15. Exterior Polish: Jewellers lathe cotton mop + Dialux compound finish.
16. Surface Purification: Ultrasonic chemical cleanse.
17. Passivation (Thermal Treatment II): Formation of the germanium oxide protective layer.
18. Final Inspection: Macro lens quality control check.
19. Archive: Boxed and sealed.
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