Active Ring Design

Our rings are highly engineered, high performance mechanical pieces - precise, beautiful and rugged. Each ring is designed to have as low-profile and smooth cross-section as the mechanism allows. This gives the wearer the “naked feel” necessary for active sports like cycling, sailing, climbing, golfing, tennis or weight lifting. This also means that common daily activities (like putting a hand in pocket) are smooth and catch free.

Additionally, each design features unique, hinged opening mechanisms. This avoids the need for buying an over-sized band to gain knuckle clearance and can be a vital performance and safety feature in many professions or sports - places where all jewelry must be removed prior to activity. It also allows easy removal for washing hands, showering or even sleeping. With over 50 sizes to choose from, you get a super comfortable ring that fits you perfectly. These special features contribute to functional, modern art pieces that you will enjoy wearing daily.

DESIGN

All of our designs are first created and tested as 3D models using the most advanced CAD engineering software available. Because there are important dimensional qualities that must be preserved between sizes (e.g.; band thickness and fastener size), each ring size is regionally scaled. This means that no two sizes share like parts. This adds significant programming and manufacturing steps, but ensures that each ring maintains important functional and aesthetic proportions.

MACHINING

Every ring begins life as a rectangular shaped billet chunk of metal. To achieve the intricate detail unique to our jewelry each piece is machined using a variety of miniature carbide cutting tools on a state of the art Haas 4-Axis CNC mill outfitted with an ultra-precision 30,000-RPM spindle. Most rings require from 13 to 16 different tools to reach their final form. Starting with trochoidal shaped High Speed Machining roughing passes, to tiny drills, reamers and keyseat cutters, the ultimate finishing tools are typically miniature ball shaped endmills which contour out the final details and surfaces. All of the complex machine code (G-Code) generated to drive the 3 and 4-Axis tool paths are created using state of the art CAM software.

CONSTRUCTION

Every functional part in a Jeff McWhinney Designs ring is machined from American made, aircraft grade 6-4 Titanium for its incredible strength, beauty and hypoallergenic qualities. Linkage pivots are made from stainless steel or are directly machined into the Titanium ring parts. *Big news! we now offer a 17-4 stainless steel option on each of our designs. 

To learn more about my products or to make purchase inquiries please email or call 415.531.8519.