Jewelry of Star Trek series
During a trip to North Hollywood with maker/propmaker/designer Ryan Norbauer, he and I had a meeting with Brent Baudette, the manager of Roddenberry Merchandising at the time.
The location was the headquarters of Roddenberry.com, and we were offered an opportunity to meet Rod Roddenberry. Upon entering the lobby, the first thing we saw was the real Captain's chair from Star Trek Next Generation- what a surreal experience! We also got to peruse an impressive collection of various actors’ drawings, graphics, paintings, and signatures, a treasure trove of design and history.
The meeting aimed to discuss the original IDIC pendant from the original Star Trek series. Brent was interested in creating a replica for the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek. Ryan was tasked with handling the design work, and the metal caster at RaceCar Jewelry in Pawtucket, RI, was recommended to do the production.
Dan Grandi, owner of RaceCar Jewelry, provided invaluable insights into streamlining the mechanics, sourcing the stones, and plating in Rhodium and 18K gold. His team meticulously polished out every tiny flaw and brought the pendant to perfection.
See the Roddenberry video on its making below. Designed and fabricated entirely in New England, using ancient and futuristic methods.