Abbi Stern launched her jewelry line, Brooklyn Heavy Metal, after studying at NYU’s Gallatin School and working as a stylist for a few years post-graduation. BHM’s edgy design inspired by nature (think bark, animal bones, tentacles) with pieces cast in a range of high-quality metals has found its way onto Ke$ha and, as of just recently, was picked up by Shopbop.  We interrupted Abbi at her studio in the industrial Brooklyn neighborhood of Gowanus, where she makes most of her pieces by hand, to talk about why it’s great to date her and her (apparently very laid-back) ilk.

1. In case you happen to have been previously married, your jewelry designer can deal with your obsolete wedding band: They know where to get you the best price for the metal, and that takes care of that expensive burden/outmoded accessory stashed in your house.

2. They can also melt down the wedding ring:  If you feel weird about selling it off, your jewelry designer can just make it into something else, probably cooler looking, and definitely unrelated to your former spouse.

3. People whose business is making intricate objects are good with their hands:  Well, obviously. Read into that what you will.

4. They’re also accustomed to danger:  In the course of our discussion, Abbi offhandedly mentioned “I have a metal splinter in my eyeball right now. It’s teeny tiny.” She seemed fine about this. Jewelry designers, especially those using a lot of metal, are “used to sharp objects flying at their face” (so that’s a plus, whatever it might entail put into the context of your relationship).

5. And following reason number four, naturally, jewelry designers have a high threshold for pain:  Again, glean from this what you see fit. Whether you’re dating a man or woman in this particular field, she/he won’t be a pansy.

6. On a more utilitarian note, jewelry designers tend to have flexible schedules:  Abbi and her ilk are entrepreneurs and small-business owners, and as such, they might be pretty busy, but their schedules are also totally up to them.

7. Designers are self-motivated and independent: “It’s a pretty self-starting business,” Abbi points out. “I’m by myself most of the time — there’s not a lot of communal work.”  Your typical jewelry designer will be independent, not needy, and very driven.

8. Jewelry designers are fashion conscious without the attitude: We couldn’t conclude whether it’s the necessary hard skills or the general distance from clothing design, but while obviously being mindful of style (it is their job, after all), Abbi swears jewelry makers are a more low-key breed than some of their fashion designing cousins.

9. They can make or fix small metal objects: Hurrah, you get to put your tools away for once! Jewelry makers are handy, they’ve got their own gear, and they might even have you beat when it comes to some of the more particular repair work, like at-home soldering.

10. Your jewelry designer date can hook your friends up: Last but not least, should your jewelry-making paramour be female (and statistically speaking, she probably is), they’re around a lot of other ladies.  “I know a lot of girls. I’m sharing a studio with 6 of them,” Abbi points out.

brooklyn_heavy_metalHomepage photo (seen at left) is via Brooklyn Heavy Metal’s Bark Collection.

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