The Story Behind the Ring
Weathered Maple Wood
Weathering the maple wood is done using a centuries old technique. When working with maple, the result is a stunning silvery-grey color that really stands out from the crowd. It's a perfect pairing for the reddish-brown hues of the coffee grounds.
Coffee - Yes, that's right! Coffee...in a ring!
This design was originally conceived for a friend of ours who owns a coffee shop. We used beans from his store in the ring we created for him, but the coffee used in future rings is a bit more unique. We were able to obtain an unopened Hills Bros coffee can from 1952. The coffee inside was still fresh (they really knew how to make stuff back then) and has a great vintage story.
Coffee Rationing
Though we can enjoy coffee in an endless stream today, this has not always been the case. Coffee rationing in WWII began in 1942 - families could only get one pound every five weeks - and the rationing didn't end until 1946. There were a few reasons for this. Firstly, the GI's needed coffee in the field. Secondly, German U-boats were sinking boats with coffee shipments from Brazil making coffee hard to get.
Rationed coffee was packaged in glass containers, which were not only reusable, but also saved precious tin resources for the troops. That this coffee could be purchased in a can was a sign that the war had ended.
For us, the idea of an unopened can of coffee sitting in the back of someone's pantry for so many years is a reminder of the frugality of that great generation which was permanently impressed upon them during the war.
Dual Metal Inlays
We wanted something to class up our beloved weathered maple and coffee ring and we jumped to bronze because of it's slight reddish hue. It's subtle and helps the coffee pop rather than stealing the attention. However, ever color looks amazing in this ring, just be aware that silver and white gold will have a subtle contrast against the maple.
Custom Coffee Option
If you have a favorite coffee shop and would like to use their beans, we can make that happen. Simply select the option on this page. We only need about 2 tablespoons of coffee beans (ground coffee may work as well). If you would like to send along more beans than necessary, well, coffee is always appreciated in the shop ;-).
Please send coffee to:
Rustic and Main
11957 Ramah Church Rd.
Huntersville, NC 28078
Moments with this Ring
