Materials

Eittem works with a small palette of uncompromising materials selected for their structural integrity, tactile quality, and ability to age beautifully over time. Each material is chosen not only for how it looks on day one, but for how it will behave through years of use, care, and handling. All materials are shaped, finished, and assembled entirely in-house in our Manhattan atelier, allowing us to maintain complete control over quality, precision, and material dialogue.

Eastern Black Walnut

Eittem objects are carved from salvaged Eastern Black Walnut, a dense American hardwood prized for its strength, stability, and expressive grain. Our walnut is salvaged from fallen and necessarily felled trees from the Northeast of the US. We source walnut with particular attention to character, selecting boards whose natural variation cannot be replicated or engineered. Only ten percent of the walnut we evaluate is suitable for exposed grain pieces. Once carved, the wood is finished by hand over many weeks to preserve its depth, warmth, and tactile presence. 

European Alpine Leather

Interiors are lined with supple, full-grain Togo leather, selected for its softness, durability, and color. The pebbled grain calfskin is wet-molded by hand to fit each form precisely then finished to complement the curved surface of the Eittems’ interior. The softly convex interior pocket is then molded and saddle-stitched by hand, despite not being visible in the finished piece. Leather introduces warmth and contrast, balancing the firmness of the walnut with soft comfort. With time, the resilient material adapts to the rhythms of use while retaining its integrity.

Stainless Steel

Hardware elements are crafted from solid stainless steel and inlaid flush into the wood with extreme precision. Each component is machined, finished, and polished individually to ensure seamless transitions between materials. Stainless steel was chosen for its strength, corrosion resistance, and longevity. Its cool surface and subtle weight provide a tactile counterpoint to the warmth of wood and leather, reinforcing the object’s sense of balance and composure.

Sterling Silver with Rhodium

The chain is crafted from sterling silver and finished with a rhodium coating to enhance durability and resistance to tarnish, while maintaining its clarity and brilliance.  Sterling silver introduces a quiet luminosity and a slightly warmer visual tone than stainless steel. The rhodium coating allows the material to retain its composure over time, ensuring that areas of frequent contact remain crisp and consistent with use.

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