Why You'll Love It
The Stratum Link Band is the most architecturally ambitious piece in our collection — a 7mm wide solid 14K gold band constructed from three rows of offset rectangular links, each link a polished gold brick separated from its neighbors by a narrow open gap, the rows staggered like courses of masonry so that no two vertical joints align. The open-work construction — the gaps between links visible through the band — gives the Stratum a lightness that its 7mm width would not suggest: it sits on the finger with presence and authority, but catches light through its structure in a way that a solid band cannot. The result is a ring that reads as a serious architectural statement from across a room and reveals its construction — the individual links, the staggered joints, the open gaps — up close.
Design Details
- Width: 7mm
- Construction: Three-row offset brick link — rectangular links in staggered courses, open-work gaps between links
- Profile: Flat-top with slightly curved outer edges
- Finish: High-polish throughout — all link faces and edges
- Interior finish: Smooth, high-polish comfort fit
- Gender: Unisex — designed and proportioned to be worn by anyone
- Available in: 14K Yellow Gold, 14K White Gold, 14K Rose Gold
The Brick Link Construction
The brick link pattern — three rows of rectangular links staggered so that each link spans the joint between two links in the row above and below — is one of the oldest structural patterns in architecture, used in masonry construction for thousands of years because it distributes load across joints and prevents any single line of weakness from running through the structure. In the Stratum, this pattern is translated into gold: each rectangular link is a solid gold brick, polished to a mirror finish on all faces, separated from its neighbors by a narrow open gap that allows light to pass through the band. The staggered offset means that the band has no continuous vertical joint — the eye moves across the surface in a diagonal rhythm, following the offset pattern from one row to the next.
Why Open-Work?
The open-work construction of the Stratum — the visible gaps between links — is what distinguishes it from a solid engraved band. A solid band with a brick pattern engraved on its surface reads as a flat graphic; the Stratum reads as a three-dimensional structure, because it is one. The gaps between links allow light to pass through the band, creating a play of light and shadow across the finger that changes as the hand moves. From above, the Stratum appears as a continuous field of polished gold rectangles. From the side, the open gaps are visible, giving the band a depth and a complexity that a solid band cannot achieve. The open-work construction also makes the Stratum lighter than its 7mm width suggests — a band that wears with presence without weight.
Craftsmanship Specs
- Metal: Solid 14K Gold (Yellow, White, or Rose)
- Width: 7mm
- Construction: Three-row offset brick link, open-work, hand-finished
- Finish: High-polish on all link faces and edges
- Interior finish: Smooth high-polish comfort fit
- No diamonds — pure gold architecture
- Handcrafted in our Queens, NYC workshop
Our Story
In our Queens atelier, the Stratum was designed as our answer to a question that the best unisex jewelry always asks: what does a ring look like when it is designed for the finger rather than for a gender? The 7mm width was chosen because it is the width at which a band stops reading as a wedding band and starts reading as a statement — a piece of jewelry that announces itself. The brick link construction was chosen because it is the most honest structural pattern we know: no decoration, no applied ornament, just the geometry of the links and the rhythm of the offset joints. Named for the Latin word for layer — stratum — the Stratum Link Band is a ring built in layers, worn in layers, and understood in layers: first as a bold gold band, then as a link construction, then as an open-work structure that carries light through its gaps.
Styling Notes
The Stratum is most powerful worn alone — the 7mm width and the open-work construction command the finger completely. Stack it with a plain gold band for a mixed-texture look: the polished brick links create a rich contrast with the smooth, continuous surface of a plain band. In yellow gold, the warm metal gives the link construction a rich, architectural depth. In white gold, the cool metal makes the open-work gaps more visible, emphasizing the structural quality of the design. In rose gold, the warm blush metal gives the Stratum a romantic, editorial quality that is unexpected for such a bold construction.
What's Included
- Stratum Link Band in your chosen metal and size
- Black Pearl of Queens signature gift box
- Ready-to-gift packaging
Production & Shipping
Made to order in 7–10 business days. Complimentary insured shipping on all U.S. orders. International shipping available. Complimentary resizing within 60 days of delivery.
Handcrafted in New York City | Solid 14K Gold | Lifetime Warranty