Pixel jewels not made of real jewels, still likely unaffordable

It's not every day you see fine jewelry that looks this... blurry. Stolen Jewels are the creation of Mike and Maaike, who did a Google for low-resolution images of various famous, priceless pieces of jewelry -- such as a ruby and diamond necklace made by Van Cleef and Arpels for Imelda Marcos -- and then made them even lower-res before transferring them to leather. The result is what you see above: stunning, and arguably much, much preferable to their original, heavy counterparts. There's one more photo after the break -- hit the read link for the whole, beautiful line.

[Via Neu Black]

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 2:17AM]

I guess it would look good from far away...

[Ellianth Posted May 27th 2009 2:27AM]

I used my browser's zoom feature. Nope, still looks like what would happen if someone ate glitter and threw up on their neck. (thanks to the guy below for the analogy).

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 8:53AM]

I am pretty sure it's just photoshopped.

[XIYL Posted May 27th 2009 2:18AM]

Whoa, that's weird.

[s13vin4t0r Posted May 27th 2009 2:19AM]

I couldn't even understand what they meant until I saw the second picture....

[Seven Posted May 27th 2009 2:19AM]

please, you make me pay all that money and in return i'll get this paltry low res? yeah, i'll pass

[BigD145 Posted May 27th 2009 2:22AM]

Did you eat glitter and throw up all over yourself, missy?

[Phil Posted May 27th 2009 2:27AM]

stunning? stunningly ugly, yes.

[Sabrage Posted May 27th 2009 2:28AM]

Holy shit, these are the people responsible for the G1! Get 'em!

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 2:40AM]

And the 360

[maveric101 Posted May 27th 2009 2:33AM]

the idea is cool, but it just doesn't work IRL.

[Lazerface Posted May 27th 2009 2:42AM]

i much prefer my 8-bit tie. you can actually see what it is...

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 2:45AM]

lol, ive just waited about 30 seconds waiting for the pic to download (like the old progressive download pics) and low and behold its already done. :/

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 4:06AM]

Oh man...flashback to the 56k era.


"Come on...Come on... I see a nose! We're really getting somewhere now!"

Five minutes later

"Come on...come on...YES! A boob! We're in business!" *zip*

[tastypotato Posted May 27th 2009 5:55AM]

That's exactly what I was doing till I scrolled down.

I was wondering why the picture was taking so long to load. :/

[grammar Posted May 27th 2009 2:50AM]

"...who did a google..." Who are you, my Dad?

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 4:15AM]

...exactly my thoughts "did a google"?...

[Celanor Posted May 27th 2009 2:57AM]

Not to self: Freshen up models before importing into firstlife.

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 7:57AM]

Who's it to then?

[MichaelC Posted May 27th 2009 4:17PM]

Yeah, what he said.

[ash chapman Posted May 27th 2009 3:03AM]

"OMG, such a Monet! For sure!"

[KyleHase Posted May 27th 2009 3:23AM]

Please wait, necklace loading...

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 3:39AM]

Looks like something Lady Gaga would wear or something.

[mianmian Posted May 27th 2009 3:55AM]

They should attach a busy mouse cursor on top of it. A rotating one would be perfect.

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 4:39AM]

These guys are the same people that designed the Xbox 360. Brilliant designers imo

[mitchsw Posted May 27th 2009 4:45AM]

Pixels in real life isnt a new idea btw

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 6:15AM]

Dammit! I hope in their next revision they at least use some antialiasing on those things. Those jaggies are driving me bonkers! (just kidding. I love pixel art)

[Please forgive me Posted May 27th 2009 6:37AM]

Wait, I sense another Fad coming. With enough advertizing, we could create just enough interest and demand, and walk away filthy rich.

What the fuck is this crap? It's pointless. It's unattractive. It's not even brilliant. Another "Artist". Sheesh, art schools must be letting every idiot in these days. They fit right in with all those jewel encrusting artists. Holy MF.

[ericlmccormick Posted May 27th 2009 8:12AM]

Looks like a painting from Wolfenstein 3-D, at best DOOM

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 8:54AM]

Not real pixels either.

[Cru Posted May 27th 2009 9:25AM]

"the low-res images we found were stolen, doctored, then transferred to leather, creating a tangible new incarnation. with the expense and intricacy of the jewels stripped away, their essence and visual intensity are extracted."

Essence and visual intensity better be cheap since the expense has been "stripped" away as they say...

[golfnz34me Posted May 27th 2009 11:01AM]

Is that a picture of Mrs. Blurrycam?

[jhcovert Posted May 27th 2009 11:09AM]

No, not better than the real thing.

You've been sitting in front of a computer for too long.

The real thing could be sold and then buy you an island.

This is a borrowed image printed on leather: if you sweat it will smell, and you won't be able to buy an island.

C'mon... work with me.

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 11:16AM]

wow whoever wrote this article must love leather faux luxury items (knock off purses anyone?)

You can have all of these leather luxuries, I would MUCH MUCH MUCH rather have the "original, heavy counterpart" than these ugly pieces of scrap leather.

[zim2411 Posted May 27th 2009 11:20AM]

I was expecting something like this for pixel art: http://eaesthete.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/pixel-art-18.png?w=480&h=630

Resizing it till it gets pixelated is just cheating and takes no effort.

[(Unverified) Posted May 27th 2009 1:29PM]

ummm....this is one of the dumbest things I think I have ever read. And why the F*** is this on Engadget??

[Wwhat Posted May 27th 2009 8:39PM]

Because people will ask you 'hey techgeek, what the hell is that she's wearing?' when it's on TV, and then you'll be the respected expert.

[Wwhat Posted May 27th 2009 8:37PM]

Makes my eyes hurt as they try to focus on something that is in focus already, so it's not something I really appreciate seeing on people.

[atlasfugged Posted May 28th 2009 2:43AM]

No, no, this is un-arguably much, much less preferable to their original heavy counterparts - what with the latter's precious jewels and metals and all.

[ageffner Posted May 28th 2009 2:36PM]

Why?!?