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New Products, Uncategorized

New Year, New Jewellery Collection

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Our aim at Icarus Originals is to always create bespoke products that are innovative, beautiful and extremely sentimental. 

Since inception we have celebrated the iconic craft that have defined transportation in the last 100 years, by blending the very latest technical innovations with the highest quality British craftsmanship in order to create a  selection of unique, premium products.

With this being said, we’re looking forward to some amazing projects ahead of 2021…

Let’s be honest, 2020 has been a pretty terrible year as a whole. So to give us something to look forward to, we are expanding our collection with new models, bracelets, tag range as well as our signatures cufflinks, too. 

Exciting projects include: 

  • A collaboration with Duxford Aviation society using material from their Comet 4B – the first ever jet airliner to cross the Atlantic.
  • English Electric canberra
  • Aston Martin DB5
  • Original Ford Mustang
  • An intercity 125 train model
  • AW Merlin helicopter
  • A World War 2 USAF C47 that took part in D Day

With many more exciting projects in the pipeline! 

We’ve also entered several of our products into Gift of the Year 2021 (see www.giftoftheyear.co.uk ) – so stay tuned as we eagerly await the results! 

All with original, authenticated material and all lovingly designed and made here in the UK. Our jewellerys create everything handmade with meticulous attention to detail to provide you with a beautiful and unique product that you will cherish for a lifetime. 

Here at Icarus, we are Wishing you a merry Christmas and a prosperous 2021.

About

How Icarus Originals Took Flight…

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Get to know our owners…

Icarus Originals came to inception in 2018, after both Alan and John realised they were working on a similar design to commemorate the soon-to-be withdrawn Panavia Tornado. 

John is a serving RAF Engineer who has lived and breathed fast Jets since he joined the RAF aged 18. Alan originally started his career in the RAF, until becoming a Royal Navy Engineer. However, after losing much of his eyesight during his service, Alan retired and has been registered blind for the last 15 years. This, However, has not deterred him from striving for greatness, creating a bespoke jewellery brand and even holding 2 world records for being the first blind person to row across the Atlantic Ocean and to ski from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole!!!!!

So why did Icarus Originals start? 

With fashion and accessories a heavily saturated market – and one particularly difficult to break into – a product that is both bespoke and unique in design is integral for any successful business model…

Mixing fun and functionality together, John and Alan decided to create a product that could be worn by the everyday man, while embracing a topic that is close to both of their hearts. 

The idea behind Icarus was to allow people to own a small piece of history, and experience the emotional attachment that comes with that. This originally started with an aircraft, but now covers classic cars, trains and (hopefully soon) space! 

What was once just concorde cufflinks, has now expanded beyond their wildest dreams, with tornado pendants, HS2 cufflinks and the latest addition to their bespoke jewellery collection, the DeLorean “back to the future” bracelets. While Icaurs originals are continually expanding their unique jewellery collection, the quality and sentiment remains the exact same. Their products focus entirely on engineering excellence and achievement, honouring models that were trailblazers and innovations of their eras. Whether it’s the fastest ever Concorde model embodied in a cufflink design, or the iconic DeLorean automobile, globalised through the 80s classic “back to the future” franchises, each product holds that special piece of history with them. 

As well as producing unique gifts that capture a small piece of history, the company also seeks to give back with tie ups to support good causes and preservation activities such as the RAF Benevolent Fund and Panavia Tornado Preservation Group. These charities provide a range of support aimed at serving and former RAF personnel and their dependents. This includes welfare breaks, grants to help with financial difficulty and getting about inside and outside the home, specialist advice on benefits and support with care needs, as well as support for young people.

Icarus Originals understand the importance of giving back, as they themselves have received support as a company from X – Forces and Entrepreneurs, 2 organisations that help Veterans start a business. 

It’s a bit ironic really, that much of our Jewellery profits go back to helping veterans get access to adequate care after life in the forces, while honouring machinery that have had such profound effects on the industry they worked in and adore; the tornado and F35A to name a few… 

Indeed, the core foundation of this business was to provide that piece of sentimental history in the form of something attractive, fashionable and functional for everyday use, which Icarus believe that have achieved pretty successfully (and so do our amazing customer base)…

“It’s more than just another cufflink or a shiny pendant, our jewellery is uniquely crafted and contoured (here in the UK) with assistance from heroes, to be worn by ‘legends’…”

Check out our online shop today to browse our new and exclusive products just in time for christmas! 

New Products

New and Exclusive GR1 ZA326 Bracelets

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The Red Arrows – Origins of the World’s Greatest Aerobatic Display Team
G-CIVY: The last BA 747 to depart London Heathrow

Tornado GR1 ZA326 Bracelets: Military Gifts for Men and Women

Looking for the perfect military gift, suitable for both men and women? 

Icarus Originals is proud to present our brand new and exclusive Tornado GR1 ZA326 Bracelets. 

Created in partnership with the Panavia Tornado Preservation Group (PTPG), Icarus Originals has designed a truly unique aviation cord bracelet featuring a stylised Tornado secured upon a ZA326 ‘raspberry ripple’ paracord strap. 

True to our form, this piece of jewellery holds a much greater piece of history. This striking design is made from the genuine airframe aluminum recovered from ZA326 during her renovation by the PTPG, and is “the perfect high-flying accessory” for those aviation enthusiasts out there. It is truly a bespoke and unique product that will double up as the perfect sentimental or military gift for both men and women! 

The history of the ZA326 

What is the Panavia Tornado? 

The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole combat aircraft, jointly developed and manufactured by Italy, the United Kingdom, and West Germany. 

This aircraft has had a significant impact in a range of modern wars, most notably the gulf war 1991; where its role was integral in conducting many low-altitude penetrating strike missions.

On March 14th, 2019, we said goodbye to the last official flight by the Tornado in British service. 

The Royal Air force has marked the end of an era and formally retired the very last of the Panavia Tornado combat jets. After 40 incredible years in service, this aircraft is giving way to the next generation of aviation models – but its memory as a pivotal part of British air combat capabilities lives on, through the medium of education, preservation, and now as a special and sentimental gift. 

About the Panavia Tornado Preservation Group 

The Panavia Tornado Preservation Group is the only organisation in the world dedicated to preserving the Panavia Tornado. This charity comprises volunteers who are product owners of a unique Tornado GR.1P aircraft. 

Their work involves two main areas: education and preservation. Their goal is to save as much of the Tornado story as possible, to educate future generations about its magnificence for them to ultimately enjoy. The PTPG all maintain a genuine passion for STEM education, utilising this aircraft to inspire the next engineers and aviators of the future. Their work is particularly close to our hearts here at Icarus Originals, with both Alan and John’s engineering background and ties to the aviation industry. 

Tornado GR1 ZA326 Bracelet

Tornado GR1 ZA326 Bracelet

This modern take on the bracelet which is designed to fit on every size of wrist, is the perfect accompaniment to any aviators watch.

£45.00
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Special Occasions

Things to Consider When Buying Cufflinks

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The Red Arrows – Origins of the World’s Greatest Aerobatic Display Team
G-CIVY: The last BA 747 to depart London Heathrow

Cufflink do’s and don’t’s.

Do: Go for bespoke cufflinks. If you have a selection of non standout and sentimental pieces, you’ll end up with an extensive range of simple cufflinks that cannot be differentiated amongst themselves. Clean and basic is fine for casual attire, but statement pieces that are long-lasted can give any outfit a refined look and truly reflect your personality. 

Don’t: Purchase ‘standard’ cufflinks. Whilst keeping it simple is desirable with many accessories, purchasing basic cufflinks can be counterintuitive as you’ll often forget about their existence and leave them in their box overtime. Instead, a dazzling and bespoke cufflink can transform an outfit, whilst still being simple enough to wear with a range of outfits! You’ll find that something custom made and truly unique to yourself will have more use and purpose than a basic cufflink. 

Do: Gift cufflinks to your loved ones. A well-designed, good quality pair of cufflinks make a unique and precious gift to someone close to you.

Don’t: Wear odd cufflinks, unless you’re trying to portray the image that you got ready in the dark. Given that cufflinks are usually synonymous with more sophisticated events, the mismatch is most probably a look you would want to avoid!

Do: Who said men can’t accessorize? Now more than ever men are incorporating a range of accessories to their wardrobe – often perceived as the ultimate ‘street style look’. Pair your cufflinks with accessories that will tone well together to complete an outfit. Matching materials or designs is always favourable, such as a pendant or a bracelet. 

Don’t: Own one pair of cufflinks! Cufflinks are a statement piece. Owning just one pair can feel repetitive. A selection of cufflinks will give your wardrobe the diversity that you need when going to a variety of events. Consider what you will need your cufflinks for, is it a corporate job interview or alternatively a wedding. Contrary to previous misconceptions, these social events require versatility in your selection of cufflinks! 

Protip: Simple and sophisticated is admirable for a job interview – a silver stud is a reliable accessory. Pair this with a black suit and you will certainly look the part. 

Do: Consider the colours and materials of your outfit to match your cufflinks to. Too many times we see individuals select some fanciful cufflinks with an array of colours or materials that clash with their outfits. In our opinion, for the material, less is more.

At Icarus Originals, we have an extensive range of custom-made cufflinks that are the perfect ‘one of a kind gift’. Each piece is made, handcrafted and finished here in the UK made using aluminium reclaimed from the fuselage of some of the worlds most iconic aviation, locomotive and automotive designs. 

Take our 1961 Jaguar E-Type Cufflinks for example. These jaguar cufflinks have been cast from Britain’s most celebrated cars; the E-Type, creating a sentimental gift that carries with it immense history.  Or alternatively, our range of aviation cufflinks, such as the 747-400 B-Hop cufflinks, cast from the metal of the fastest commercial airliner to grace the skies. These sentimental and bespoke pieces intertwine intricate detail and simplistic material to create a truly unique and bespoke gift that will last a lifetime. Browse our online shop today to see our range of aviation, locomotive and automotive cufflinks and mini models…

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New Products

The English Electric Lightning: Cufflink Edition

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The Red Arrows – Origins of the World’s Greatest Aerobatic Display Team
G-CIVY: The last BA 747 to depart London Heathrow

Introducing “The English Electric Lightning”, which carries the distinction of being the only all British supersonic fighter to have served with the Royal Air Force. Primarily designed as a rapid interceptor against the threat of enemy bombers during the Cold War, powered by twin Rolls Royce Avon turbojet engines, this aircraft still holds one of the fastest climb to altitude rates of any military aircraft – with an initial climb rate of 50,000 ft per minute. This type first flew on 4th August 1954 and went into service with the RAF in 1959.

While it may no longer be an object of the skies, at Icarus Originals, we pride ourselves on blending the very latest technical innovations with the highest quality British craftsmanship in order to create a superb selection of unique, bespoke, premium products. Hence our need to recreate this magnificent aircraft into a beautifully and carefully designed pair of cufflinks! The sheer time and integrity it takes to produce these items is a drawn out process, but we believe it is worth every second, as the final product holds extreme sentimental and historic value. Not only do you get to own a piece of aviation history, but you also get to honour the engineering prowess that revolutionised the British aviation world as we know it – setting a precedent for new models in production to this day!

How do we make the English Electric Lightning into a sentimental piece of Jewellery?

We wanted to highlight just how challenging the design and manufacturing process can be for something seemingly so small and simple. Take 1 project we have in the pipeline – the English Electric Lightning XR740. This is a famous aircraft of its type as it intercepted an American U2 spy plane.
First we need to find the material and ensure authenticity. In this case we work with our friends at Jet Art Aviation, based in Selby, who own the original tail fin
This material needs to be cut, stripped and processed into small chunks of aluminium that can be melted in a crucible to form ingots of XR749 aluminium – our “raw material”. Concurrently, we need to do a huge amount of design work which entails a combination of high resolution 3D scanning of models, and countless iterations of adapting the scan to a viable CAD design.This design then needs to be printed in resin, before an initial casting is taken. Usually this is cast in silver and then manually worked on by a jeweller to achieve a precision finish. We can then move to a test production run in normal aluminium. Once cast, and then hand finished/polished we can test the item.
With the lightning, the thin wings and narrow fuselage made it incredibly difficult to gauge the correct wing thickness. Too thin, the wings break, too thick it just looks wrong and too chunky. However, once finalised, we can go into production and cast cufflinks in genuine aluminium from this iconic aircraft. This process can literally take months as we need to fit into the schedule of the craftsmen we work with. But the end result should be something very special!

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