Hot Caliber 5 Shot Diamond Pendant
One of the more fun events of SHOT Show 2011 for us was a cocktail meeting with Manos P. of Hot Caliber. Over a 2+ hour ‘business meeting‘ at the AquaKnox restaurant in the Venetian, we discussed the history and future strategy of the fresh and innovative company. You know, most people think going to the SHOT Show is all fun and games. Let me tell you, it’s strenuous work – the cocktail meetings, the casinos, the guns, the toys, and did I mention the cocktail meetings?
Hot Caliber was founded from a rare combination of interests – professional jewelry manufacturing and lots and lots of pistol shooting. The basic idea is custom and high end jewelry for men and women made from flattened bullets. You know, the really cool ones left over when you shoot at a heavy piece of steel just right. It’s kind of like when you throw Silly Putty against a wall really, really hard. Each properly executed shot leaves a one-of-a-kind and nicely textured lead disc. From this, Hot Caliber fashions pendants, cufflinks, key chains, and more. The smashed bullets are accentuated with silver settings and diamonds. It’s definitely a conversation piece – as is the intent of Hot Caliber.
As mailing toxic lead around is generally only done by cheap overseas toymakers, Hot Caliber has taken a different approach that avoids the toxicity issue and brings the jewelry up several notches in the excellent blingage department. Using a 12,392 year old secret lost wax casting technique, the actual lead bullets fired by the Hot Caliber staff are recreated in either silver or gold. Pieces are available in polished silver/gold or oxidized silver with a dark and very cool patina.
Hot Caliber Cufflinks
As the cocktails, flowed, we learned more about the inspiration for Hot Caliber jewelry. The generally accepted story is that the idea came from a spent, flattened bullet from a steel target shoot – inadvertently brought home in a pocket. As the ‘story’ goes, Mrs. Hot Caliber happened to see this and suggested that it might make a really cool centerpiece for jewelry. Being the crack investigative reporters that we are, we elected to have several more ‘one more rounds’ in a selfless effort to learn the real story. And we did. Apparently, after living in Santa Carla, California for years, Mr. and Mrs. Hot Caliber got completely fed-up with the out-of-control vampire problem and decided to take matters into their own hands. While owning a few Sig Sauer handguns provided adequate protection against local hoodlums, they were decidedly ineffective against The Lost Boys. Hence, silver bullet jewelry.
So, thanks to our dogged determination to learn the truth, you now know that Hot Caliber jewelry is 100% guaranteed to repel vampires in addition to looking simply hot. You can thank us later.
We would like to extend a warm My Gun Culture welcome to our newest partner – Hot Caliber!
I love your witty account of Hot Caliber’s inception. I definitely need a pendant to ward off all those
annoying vampires. Oh and also cuz I want to look hot!
I have to come clean. I expected to read a staid article on a gun show, available calibers and muzzle velocity, and instead I got a fresh, fun article that actually made me smile.
I really enjoyed the humor of the article, and the website. Congratulations! Finally something different in the gun world.
Speaking of different, loved the product too. Something at the SHOT show that’s designed to make you “drop dead”… gorgeous!!