Excerpt Elizabeth Hillfrank
Unconventional Ring Materials
If you stepped outside 20,000 years ago, you’d probably need a winter coat, even in summer. That’s because Earth was experiencing an ice age—a time when sheets of ice covered large parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. It was also a time when humans lived alongside a now-extinct group of elephants called mammoths.
Ancient elephant - Unconventional Ring Materials
One species called woolly mammoths, roamed the cold tundra of Europe, Asia, and North America from about 300,000 years ago up until about 10,000 years ago. (But the last known group of woolly mammoths survived until about 1650 B.C.—that’s over a thousand years after the Pyramids of Giiza were built!)
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These animals grazed on plants, using their 15-foot-long tusks to dig under snow for food like shrubs and grasses. Like today’s elephants, woolly mammoths likely gave birth to one calf at a time, and the females and their young roamed in herds of about 15 individuals. Male mammoths would leave the herd at about age 10.
Woolly mammoths were probably about the size of African Elephants, around 13 feet tall. But woolly mammoths had much smaller ears, which kept them from losing body heat. They were also covered in two layers of fur—the shaggy outer layer could be 20 inches long and helped them stay toasty in temperatures as low as minus 58°F. Woolly mammoths also had a lump on their back, which scientists think were fat stores that provided energy when food was scarce, sort of like a camel's hump.
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Scientists aren’t sure exactly why woolly mammoths went extinct: Some think that humans hunted too many of them, and others believe that they couldn’t survive Earth’s naturally warming climate. Or, it could’ve been a combination of both. Woolly mammoths had very long tusks (modified incisor teeth), which were more curved than those of modern elephants. The largest known male tusk is 4.2 m (14 ft) long and weighs 91 kg (201 lb), but 2.4–2.7 m (7.9–8.9 ft) and 45 kg (99 lb) was a more typical size.
Excerpt Laura Aarpe
While the vast majority of Woolly Mammoths went extinct 10-12,000 years ago, interestingly, there was a small population of around 300 that survived until about 4,000 years ago on Wrangel Island
During the last ice age – some 100,000 to 15,000 years ago – mammoths were widespread in the northern hemisphere from Spain to Alaska. Due to the global warming that began 15,000 years ago, their habitat in Northern Siberia and Alaska shrank. On Wrangel Island, some mammoths were cut off from the mainland by rising sea levels; that population survived another 7000 years.
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The team of researchers from Finland, Germany, and Russia examined the isotope compositions of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and strontium from a large set of mammoth bones and teeth from Northern Siberia, Alaska, the Yukon, and Wrangel Island, ranging from 40,000 to 4,000 years in age. The aim was to document possible changes in the diet of the mammoths and their habitat and find evidence of a disturbance in their environment. The results showed that Wrangel Island mammoths’ collagen carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions did not shift as the climate warmed up some 10,000 years ago. The values remained unchanged until the mammoths disappeared, seemingly from the midst of stable, favorable living conditions.
This is a mammoth tooth on the riverbank on Wrangel Island. Credit: Juha Karhu
Unconventional Ring Materials
They were beautiful! They were literally awesome. They were gigantic. And they left behind an absolutely tremendous gift for us, their mighty tusks. Even in our shop, it is an awesome feeling just to hold onto a single piece of Woolly Mammoth tusk - just to hold it and think about how long it has been here is mind-boggling. Ranging from creamy to a barky rich brown in color, Woolly Mammoth Tusk gives you that same awesome feeling when you are wearing it around your finger as a wedding ring.
Woolly Mammoth Tusk pieces in our shop - Unconventional Ring Materials
Woolly Mammoth Tusk makes a great accent inlay on any ring since it literally goes with everything. Check out how beautiful it looks when nestled between two Tibetan Turquoise Inlays as in our Mammoth Hunter Wedding Ring.
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Often sought after as a pair, our Woolly Mammoth Ocean and Woolly Mammoth Tundra rings look great together or apart.
Woolly Mammoth Ocean - Unconventional Ring Materials
Woolly Mammoth Tundra - Unconventional Ring Materials
Woolly Mammoth Tusk is also fabulous because it serves as a great symbol of longevity and strength. After all, we all go extinct at some point, so you can't hold that against them. But you can admire them for how they lived. Any ring you see on our entire site could have one or more of its inlays replaced with Woolly Mammoth Tusk. How will you design yours? To get started on a Custom Woolly Mammoth Tusk ring, simply call 617-326-6671 or email sales@minterandrichterdesigns.com with the below missing information. We will get you started!
Ring A - ____________________________ (name or description of ring – or name of ring on website you are basing your design upon))
apx. size - __________ (we would base your sizers around this size. Custom Sizers are highly recommended, see below in signature for info.)
width - __________ mm
Finish on metal - _______________________ (satin? Sandblasted? Mirror?)
Shape of edges - __________________________ (rounded? Flat? Pinstriped?)
Any interior anodizing? If so, what color? - ___________________ (blue, green, bronze, sunset, pink, purple)
engraving phrase - _____________________________________________ (if desired)
Ring B - _________________________________ (description of ring – or NAME OF RING on our website you are basing your design upon))))
apx. size – _____________ (we would base your sizers around this size. Custom Sizers are highly recommended, see below in signature for info.)
width – _____________mm
Finish on metal - _______________________ (satin? Sandblasted? Mirror?)
Shape of edges - __________________________ (rounded? Flat? Pinstriped?)
Any interior anodizing? If so, what color? - ___________________ (blue, green, bronze, sunset, pink, purple)
engraving phrase - __________________________________________ (if desired)
Instagram Handle - ______________________ (Do you want to get tagged with a pic of the ring while we are making it?)
Wedding hashtag - ___________________________
wedding date - _________________________
latest must-have by date - __________________
Do you want a Lifetime Care Option? If so, which level? _________________ (STANDARD Level, PREMIUM Level – see below in signature for info.)
Full STREET shipping address - ______________________________________________
Choose either STANDARD or PREMIUM LEVEL of Lifetime Care Options: PURCHASE ONCE AND YOUR RING IS COVERED FOR LIFE!
PREMIUM LIFETIME CARE ($275) - WE WILL MAKE YOU A NEW ONE FOR FREE IF YOU LOSE IT!!!
Covers all damage for life
Covers a one-time free re-make should you ever lose your ring.
Not available for Meteorite Rings
Unless waived for special circumstances, must be purchased as part of the original transaction.
Includes return shipping
STANDARD LEVEL OF LIFETIME CARE ($200)
Covers all damage for life
Does not cover loss of ring
Includes return shipping
FAQs
Q: How do I get sized?
A: WE STRONGLY SUGGEST PURCHASING MINTER & RICHTER CUSTOM SIZERS to guarantee you get the absolute perfect fit for your ring. The industry-wide standard for ring size carries many variables (different measuring tools, ring widths, ring materials and design). Factory made bands are sized LESS accurately than our handmade bands. Therefore, getting sized at a factory jewelry store does not guarantee that the size will be correct. We offer Sizing Exchanges for life for half price. But getting Custom Sizers ensures that you will not need a sizing exchange. A sizing exchange is 50% the cost of the original if you were not sized on our custom sizers.
- Minter & Richter Custom Aluminum Sizers ($45 for a set of 3 sizers): If you have a general idea of what your ring size might be, we can make you a set of custom aluminum sizers (plain aluminum bands) in three different sizes at your preferred width. This allows you to spend time wearing each sizer for a day or two and finding out which one offers the most comfortable fit. Finger size can fluctuate slightly throughout the day due to water intake, temperature, etc. so this is an excellent way to get an accurate representation of exactly how your final ring will fit. We request that customers purchase their final ring(s) at the same time as the sizers. We will ship you the sizers along with a SASE for convenient return (domestic only – international must pay for return shipping). Once you confirm your ring size we begin making your rings!
(**Please note that sizers can add approximately 2 weeks to order processing.)
Unconventional Ring Materials
