HOW THEY ARE MADE:
Whirling Turban bangles are handmade from the highest quality artisanal phenolic resin.
With a weight, texture and CLACK like vintage Bakelite, they play well with genuine vintage bangle bracelets.
In fact, our top customers are Bakelite collectors. No one we know about is making bangles that look and feel like Bakelite.
Our bracelets are made one at a time and are hand-polished, not sprayed for shine like many “fakelites”. These are very limited edition. Each design is made from a hand-carved wax mold exclusive to Whirling Turban.
We make small batches, so there is often only one small and one large per batch. Since they are individually polished in a process that removes a little of the resin, size variations occur.
FROM OUR DESIGNER:
“For years I longed to collect Bakelite Vintage, but was afraid of buying a fake. I didn’t feel I knew enough to evaluate the price. I wanted to have enough pieces to play with and create stacks, but couldn’t justify hundreds of dollars per bracelet to get in the stack game. I loathed the cheap copies that looked like children’s plastic jewelry.
“When I discovered this particular resin material, I fell in love with it and thought about it for 20 years. Finally I had my first few designs made, by a life-long resin craftsman in a small family business. When I got my first samples I was hooked. The feel of this vegan resin is delicious to touch, reminiscent of real elephant ivory. These bangles have a quality heft and a pleasing, Bakelite-like CLACK.
“I had found that standard bangle bracelets were too big for me; they just weren’t comfortable. I wanted to make different sizes available so everyone could have the size that was comfy to them. So, we make Whirling Turban bangle styles in a range of sizes, and we specify the exact inner diameter of each.”
PURCHASE AND RETURNS
You may find tiny irregularities that result from being hand made in a small workshop rather than a factory. Like original Bakelite, it's part of the charm.
OUR RULE: YOU HAVE TO LOVE IT!
If you receive a bangle you do not love, we encourage you to return for a full refund or exchange it.
You are free to return any bracelet you don’t love within 30 days of having received it for a full refund, providing it is in new condition.
The durability is similar to Bakelite; strong but not unbreakable. If it breaks within a year of purchase for any reason, send us a photo of the tragedy and we will credit you the full purchase price toward another bangle. We will provide this replacement guarantee for a maximum of 3 bangles per year.