With a hobby, like making my own jewelry from scratch from old watch bands and seemingly useless junk obtained at garage sales, I slowly morphed my craft into a jewelry design and repair business. Designing and creating has me occupying my time online with purchasing materials with open eyes. Low and behold, I came across an item from my past that I believed to be extinct, âThe Mood Ring.â Instead, they are making a comeback. Designed into items such as pendants and bracelets as well. I wished to know more as to the whoâs, whenâs, and whyâs of this blast from the past novelty we all bought for a chance at a better romance. But the origins of the mood ring run much deeper. It even led to the medical industry creating several items, some used every day now without so much as even a thought as to their origins.
What they had initially created was the thermotropic liquid crystal. The crystals in the array react to changes in temperature by twisting. The twisting changes their molecular structure, which alters the wavelengths of light or color that are reflected or absorbed. When the temperature of the liquid crystals changes, so will their color. Dr. Marvin Wernick invented these thermotropic crystals in California. He worked with these crystals in 1965 to assist in the cure for cancer. His goal became riddled with failures and dead ends. So, like most inventors, he simply put it on the back shelf. A decade later, his real failure was a lesson learned with a dose of harsh reality as he allowed his patents to expire.
In 1975, two men, Josh Reynolds and Maris Ambats from New York modified Dr. Wernickâs design into a thermotropic strip and attached it to a ring made of stone or metal. They sold it to the rich and famous; They made the initial rings of jade, silver, and gold. Later, they were massed produced in stainless steel and sold it as a novelty to all. In three months, itâs estimated they made over a million dollars. Next, they came up with another use. A temperature strip to assist pediatric Dr.âs in taking the temperature of young children and coma patients. They still used it today in third-world countries.
With a hobby, like making my own jewelry from scratch from old watch bands and seemingly useless junk obtained at garage sales, I slowly morphed my craft into a jewelry design and repair business. Designing and creating has me occupying my time online with purchasing materials with open eyes. Low and behold, I came across an item from my past that I believed to be extinct, âThe Mood Ring.â Instead, they are making a comeback. Designed into items such as pendants and bracelets as well. I wished to know more as to the whoâs, whenâs, and whyâs of this blast from the past novelty we all bought for a chance at a better romance. But the origins of the mood ring run much deeper. It even led to the medical industry creating several items, some used every day now without so much as even a thought as to their origins.
What they had initially created was the thermotropic liquid crystal. The crystals in the array react to changes in temperature by twisting. The twisting changes their molecular structure, which alters the wavelengths of light or color that are reflected or absorbed. When the temperature of the liquid crystals changes, so will their color. Dr. Marvin Wernick invented these thermotropic crystals in California. He worked with these crystals in 1965 to assist in the cure for cancer. His goal became riddled with failures and dead ends. So, like most inventors, he simply put it on the back shelf. A decade later, his real failure was a lesson learned with a dose of harsh reality as he allowed his patents to expire.
In 1975, two men, Josh Reynolds and Maris Ambats from New York modified Dr. Wernickâs design into a thermotropic strip and attached it to a ring made of stone or metal. They sold it to the rich and famous; They made the initial rings of jade, silver, and gold. Later, they were massed produced in stainless steel and sold it as a novelty to all. In three months, itâs estimated they made over a million dollars. Next, they came up with another use. A temperature strip to assist pediatric Dr.âs in taking the temperature of young children and coma patients. They still used it today in third-world countries.
