Bullet Casings as Charms - Unearthen Jewelry by Gia Bahm (GALLERY)

Gia Bahm, the New York based artisan behind Unearthen makes jewelry not just from gemstones, but from bullet casings. Her unique jewelry line consists of unisex pendants which uses different caliber bullets as the bails to hold rod-shaped gemstones.

The unusual combination of materials could perhaps be explained from the description of the artisan on her website. “A collector, an aestheticist, a creator, and a destructor… much like all of us who are constantly perplexed by the forces of nature and humankind.”

The Unearthen website promotes the jewelry as mystic “charmstones” and as such has a new age look and soundtrack. The belief that minerals (many are gemstones) have healing and mystic powers has been around for centuries. The Unearthen website allows you to click on each crystal to get information on its healing powers and properties. There is no scientific evidence that minerals can heal and affect people in different ways but the placebo effect or cognitive bias probably plays a role.

For those fond of this type of jewelry, the website has a list of international stores which carry this line.