CUSTOM ORDERS
Every BSBEE Designs piece begins with material — a stone shaped by nature and interpreted by hand. Bruce Bauer creates one-of-a-kind wearable sculptures guided by the character of rare and ethically sourced materials. No two works are ever identical.
1 — Vision & Consultation
Begin with a custom inquiry describing your inspiration, preferred themes, and desired color direction. Bruce personally reviews each request and defines artistic direction, feasibility, and timeline.
2 — Material & Design Development
Each commission begins with stone. Clients may select from available specimens (material palette down below) or request sourcing of rare materials. The natural form of the stone guides the sculpture.
3 — Sculpting & Completion
Each piece is hand-carved and constructed with meticulous precision. Once complete, the work becomes part of the BSBEE archive and is delivered as a finished original.
THE MATERIAL PALETTE
Clients may select from a curated range of rare stones and materials to define the color, tone, and character of their piece. Sculptural concepts can be reinterpreted using different stone combinations, allowing each commission to become a unique variation shaped by available materials.
OCEAN BLUES
Aquamarine
Boulder Opal (blue dominant)
Blue Chalcedony
Blue Topaz
Swiss Blue Topaz
London Blue Topaz
Blue Zircon
Kyanite
Lapis Lazuli
Peruvian Opal (blue tones)
Shattuckite
Tanzanite
Apatite
Amazonite
Turquoise
FOREST GREENS
Agate
Dendritic Agate
Platinum Oco Agate
Chalcedony
Snowbowl Chalcedony
Quartz
Crystal Quartz
Quartz with inclusions
Moonstone
Danburite
Opalized Petrified Wood
Petrified Wood
Shell
Abalone
Pearl
Freshwater Pearl
Bone
Warthog Tusk
Wood
Bocote Wood
Ebony
FIRE & SUNSET
Chrysoprase
Chrome Diopside
Emerald
Chatham Emerald
Jade
Jadeite
Malachite
Maw Sit Sit
Peridot
Tourmaline (green)
Tsavorite Garnet
Variscite
EARTH & NEUTRALS
Onyx
Black Onyx
Whitby Jet
Jet
Obsidian
Black Jade
Black Opal
Black Opal Doublets
Hematite
Marcasite
Meteorite
ROYAL & FLORAL
Amber
Mexican Cherry Amber
Carnelian
Citrine
Fire Opal
Mexican Fire Opal
Spessartite Garnet
Golden Pearl Shell
Pearl Shell (golden tones)
Rutilated Quartz (golden)
Strawberry Rutilated Quartz
Falcon Jasper
Red Jasper
Jasper (red dominant)
MIDNIGHT & COSMIC
Amethyst
Garnet
Rhodolite Garnet
Ruby
Rubellite
Pink Tourmaline
Spinel
Kunzite
A Hands-On Process
Behind every BSBEE Designs piece is a disciplined, hands-on process shaped by material, form, and time. Each work evolves through careful carving, sculpting, and refinement
TECHNIQUES & CRAFTSMANSHIP
Each BSBEE Designs piece is created through a combination of traditional metalworking, lapidary carving, and sculptural fabrication.
Bruce’s process is guided by the material itself—each stone dictates the direction of the final composition.
Ishidashi Metal Forming
A traditional Japanese technique in which metal is shaped from the front using controlled hammering and chiseling. This allows Bruce to sculpt raised forms directly from the metal surface without assembling separate components.
Keum-Boo Gold Fusion
An ancient Korean process that permanently bonds pure gold to silver through heat and pressure. This technique allows Bruce to apply rich gold surfaces with precision while maintaining structural integrity.
Hand Stone Carving
Each stone is individually carved by hand to reveal its natural structure. Bruce allows the internal composition of the material to guide the final sculptural form.
Lapidary Cutting and Shaping
Stones are cut, ground, and polished to enhance their natural color, transparency, and internal pattern. This process ensures each material reaches its full visual potential.
Stone Inlay
Precisely cut stones are embedded into metal or other materials to create contrast, pattern, and structural integration without relying on adhesives alone.
Custom Stone Setting
Each setting is built specifically for the individual stone, ensuring proper balance, security, and harmony between the material and the sculptural structure.
Sculptural Metal Fabrication
Metal is formed, carved, and shaped into three-dimensional sculptural structures that support and enhance the stone.
Hand Engraving and Surface Detailing
Fine engraving techniques are used to create texture, depth, and definition across metal surfaces.
Patination
Controlled oxidation is used to alter the color of metal surfaces, enhancing contrast and emphasizing sculptural depth.
Mixed Material Integration
Bruce combines stone, metal, fossil, wood, and organic materials into a single cohesive structure, requiring careful structural planning and execution.
Organic Form Interpretation
Rather than forcing symmetry, Bruce allows the natural shape of each stone to determine the final sculptural composition.
Convertible Engineering
Certain pieces are engineered to function in multiple forms, such as pendant-brooch combinations, without compromising structural integrity.
Signature Works
Certain works within the BSBEE Designs collection represent defining moments in Bruce Bauer’s artistic and technical evolution. These pieces bring together rare materials, sculptural form, and advanced craftsmanship to fully express his approach to wearable sculpture. Often inspired by wildlife, landscape, and natural structure, these works demonstrate how stone, metal, and subject interact as a unified composition. They serve as both collector reference points and foundations for future custom commissions.
Storm Clouds at Sea
A sculptural composition centered around boulder opal, incorporating Keum-Boo gold and hand-formed metalwork to evoke movement, atmosphere, and natural force.
Kingfisher on Lotus
A carved opal composition created using Ishidashi metal forming, balancing delicate structural engineering with organic sculptural form.
Beehive Cuff No. 1
A complex sculptural cuff integrating carved amber, silver construction, and gold fusion techniques, reflecting Bruce’s exploration of natural geometry.
Peaceful Marsh
A narrative landscape composition using opalized petrified wood and sculptural wildlife forms, emphasizing environmental observation and material harmony.
THE ARCHIVE
The archive preserves completed works now held in private collections. While exact replicas are never recreated, archived pieces may serve as inspiration for new commissions. Each reinterpretation becomes a new original shaped by available materials.
AVAILABILITY & EXPECTATIONS
Rare stones are not mass-produced commodities. Material sourcing and sculptural complexity determine timeline. Most commissions require several weeks to complete.
Previously completed works cannot typically be altered due to structural integrity.
All custom commissions are final.
To begin a commission, please submit a Custom Inquiry by clicking the button below.