Sculptor Noli Coronado likes to see a subtle trace of his own fingerprint in the jewelry he designs. What might be seen as an imperfection to some is a symbol of authenticity and fine craftsmanship to its creator and his satisfied customers. His partner Dante Dizon appreciates the rough-hewn look of the biker rings made by their company 13 Lucky Monkey. “This is the opposite of fine jewelry,” he says. “We ride really old bikes and we see beauty in these machines—dirty, greasy, noisy. We want our jewelry to have that same patina that only comes with use and with age.”

The rings are far from being the discardable refuse humbly described by one of their creators. They are works of art—wearable sculpture—that incorporate medieval symbols, references to Kustom Kulture, and inspiration from superstitions, women in their lives, even insects.
Customers pay for a unique, sculptural piece that needs to be broken in like the dark, stiff denim of a new pair of jeans, eventually becoming a second skin molded to the wearer’s body—something that feels comfortable above a knuckle beneath a leather glove wrapped around a handlebar.