People ask me all the time if they can get "the exact ring in the picture." The honest answer is no. And that's kind of the whole point.
Every skateboard ring I make is cut from a different board, and every board has its own colors pressed into the wood. So no two skateboard rings are ever the same. Here's why, and why I think that's the best thing about them.
Where Do the Colors in a Skateboard Ring Come From?
A skateboard deck isn't one solid piece of wood. It's seven thin sheets of maple, called plies, glued together and pressed into shape. Before pressing, board makers dye some of those sheets. Blue, green, red, yellow, black, whatever they're going for.
You never see those colors when you're skating. They're hidden between the graphic on the bottom and the grip tape on top. But the second you cut across a deck, there they are. Stripes of color stacked on top of each other.
That's what makes a colorful skateboard ring. There's no paint and no print. The colors are literally inside the wood.
Why No Two Boards Are the Same
Different brands use different color combos. Even the same brand changes it up between runs. So when a board shows up at my workshop, I honestly don't know what's inside until I cut it.
Some decks are all natural maple with one pop of color. Some are loud, with three or four colors stacked up. Some have one crazy layer right in the middle that nobody would ever expect. Every deck I get comes from a skater, every brand you can think of, so the variety is pretty much endless.
Why No Two Rings From the Same Board Match Either
This is the part that surprises people. Even two rings cut from the same deck won't look identical.
A skateboard isn't flat. It has concave, a nose, and a tail. So depending on where I cut, the layers curve differently through the ring. One ring might have thick, even stripes. The one next to it might have a wave running through it. Then there's the sanding. As I shape the ring, I'm taking wood off, and that changes how much of each layer shows.
So even if you and a friend get rings from the same board, they'll be siblings, not twins.
What That Looks Like in Real Rings
Here's what I've got right now, and each one is its own thing:
Green and Yellow. Bright, bold, and you can spot it from across the room. All wood.
Dark Blue/Green. Darker and more low key. Good if you want color without it being loud. All wood.
Blue and Pink Stainless Steel. Blue and pink skateboard wood with a stainless steel band on the inside.
When those colorways are gone, the next ones will be different. That's just how it works when every ring comes from a real board.
Why I Love That Every Ring Is One of One
Most jewelry is made to look exactly the same every time. That's the goal. Mine is the opposite.
When you wear a skateboard ring, you're wearing a piece of a board somebody actually skated. It had its own sessions, its own slams, and its own story before it ever got to me. Then it got cut, shaped, and sanded into something nobody else has. I think that's way cooler than owning the same ring as a thousand other people.
It's also the reason I still get excited every time I cut into a new deck. Six years in and 50+ decks later, I still don't know what's inside until I open it up.
How to Pick Your Colors
Since every ring is different, here's the easiest way to choose:
Go with your gut. If a colorway jumps out at you, that's the one. Don't overthink it.
Think about what you wear. If you're mostly in black and neutrals, a bright ring pops. If you already wear a lot of color, a darker ring blends in better.
Buying for a couple? You can match colors or go complementary. I broke that down in matching skateboard rings for couples.
Want it every day, forever? Look at the steel insert version. Here's the difference: all wood vs steel insert.
FAQ
Are the colors in skateboard rings painted?
No. The colors come from dyed maple plies inside the skateboard deck. Nothing is painted or printed on.
Can I get the exact ring in the photo?
You get the colorway shown, but every ring is cut by hand from a real board, so small details will always be a little different. That's what makes it one of one.
Will the colors fade?
The colors are dyed all the way through each ply and sealed under a hard CA finish, so they hold up to everyday wear. Just take care of it. Here's my skateboard ring care guide.
Can I request specific colors?
Right now you pick from what's in the shop, since every ring depends on what boards come in. But reach out and tell me what colors you like, and I'll keep an eye out.