Brandon turned to Minh, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Got any buckles?"
Minh nodded, the unlit cigarette bobbing in his mouth.
"We do, but..." He paused, eyeing the chain critically.
"Only been crafting women's jewelry. Might be too small for that chain."
"Fair point," Brandon agreed.
"I'll draft up some designs for larger buckles later. For now, let's just attach one of the smaller ones. Give us a better idea of the final look."
Minh grunted, snatching the chain from Brandon's hands.
His weathered fingers moved with surprising dexterity, filling the ends of the Cuban chain with practiced ease.
Brandon watched, mesmerized, as Minh's hands became a blur of motion.
The old artisan grabbed a small buckle, his eyes narrowing in concentration as he began to solder it onto the chain.
The workshop fell silent, save for the soft hiss of Minh's torch. In mere minutes, the buckle was seamlessly attached, looking as if it had always been part of the design.
Minh held up the finished piece, giving it a critical once-over before handing it back to Brandon.
"Done."
Brandon slipped the chain over his head, the cool metal settling against his skin. He was still wearing his plain white T-shirt, but somehow, the addition of the Cuban chain elevated his entire look. The contrast between the simple tee and the gleaming white gold was striking.
Just then, Elise strode into the workshop, a stack of papers in her hand.
"I've got some renderings printed, check—"
She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes landing on the chain adorning Brandon's neck.
Elise moved closer, her gaze fixed on the jewelry. She reached out, her fingers tracing the intricate links.
"This is... unexpected," she murmured, her voice a mix of surprise and admiration.
She circled Brandon, scrutinizing the chain from every angle.
"The craftsmanship is rough around the edges," she noted, shooting an inquisitive glance at Minh.
"But as men's jewelry... it's bold, yet understated. Masculine without being ostentatious."
Elise's eyes met Brandon's, a spark of excitement in them.
"This could be exactly what we needed. A perfect entry point into the men's market.
Elise turned to her head artisan, Minh, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"What do you think Minh? I assume you remember the entire crafting process?"
Minh scratched the back of his head, his gruff demeanor softening slightly.
"Mr. Blackstone did most of the work, but..."
A rare smile crept across his weathered face.
"I have to admit, this is a whole new take on jewelry. Never thought non-homos could wear jewelry, but this... I like."
Brandon grinned, pleased with the old artisan's reaction.
Elise frowned and chided, "Language, Minh! I don't want bigotry in my workshop!"
Minh scratched the back of his head and glanced at Brandon, "Is he one of dem? I sorry…"
Brandon's eyes widened, "Wait— What?! No!"
Quickly regaining his composure he let out a chuckle and shook his head,
"Anywaay~ We're not done yet. I want you to ice out this chain."
"Ice-out?"
Elise asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.
Brandon winked at her and slipped off the chain, holding it up.
"See these flattened surfaces? Drill holes in them and set diamonds on the entire thing."
Elise's face lit up, her eyes widening as she grasped the concept.
Turning to Minh, Brandon challenged, "Think you're up for it?"
Without waiting for an answer, Brandon moved to a nearby table, grabbed a piece of paper, and started sketching. Elise, Minh, and the group of artisans followed, crowding around to watch.
As he drew, Brandon explained,
"I want an outline of round cuts, and the inside filled with baguettes..."
Elise cut in, visibly excited, waving the printed 3D renderings in her hand.
"To match the pendant?"
"Exactly," Brandon nodded.
"But this is customized for me. In the future, you can ice them out with smaller diamonds to keep costs down, or design any combination of precious metal base for the chain and any cut of diamonds."
Minh snatched Brandon's sketch, his eyes widening in awe.
"This... this is very good!"
He exclaimed, his usual gruffness replaced by unbridled enthusiasm.
"New man jewelry style. I never thought I see the day..."
He pointed to a rectangle Brandon had sketched on the same piece of paper.
"And this?"
Brandon explained, "Like you said, because the chain is relatively heavy, a simple buckle won't cut it. We need a robust and secure lock to ensure the chain doesn't just fall off the wearer's neck. I'm sure you can design something like that."
Minh patted his chest proudly.
"Easy, no worry. I can do it."
"Great," Brandon nodded.
"And I'd like invisible set baguette diamonds to fill the buckle."
Minh nodded, a determined glint in his eye.
Without another word, he turned and walked away, eager to get to work on this groundbreaking piece.
Elise shook her head, a soft smile playing on her lips.
"Don't mind him," she said apologetically.
"He's just... passionate."
"I understand," Brandon replied, nodding.
He'd seen enough of Minh's intensity to get the picture.
Elise's demeanor suddenly shifted, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
"Come check out the renderings my team has come up with," she said, practically bubbling with enthusiasm.
She grabbed Brandon's hand, pulling him into a quiet conference room.
Once inside, Elise proudly presented a 3D rendering of Brandon's "13" pendant. Printed on several pieces of paper were detailed 3D models of the pendant Brandon had in mind, showcasing every intricate detail of the design.
Brandon found himself captivated, not by the pendant, but by Elise herself.
Her eyes sparkled as she explained the various elements, her hands moving animatedly as she spoke. There was so much more to her than the cold facade she usually presented. Here, talking about her work, she was elated, passionate, and utterly ravishing.
"Brandon?"
Elise's voice broke through his reverie. A slight blush colored her cheeks as she caught him staring.
"Are you listening? What are you staring at?"
Without warning, Brandon leaned in and planted a quick kiss on her lips, pulling away before she could react.
"Just admiring your beauty," he said with a grin.
Elise's blush deepened, a mix of surprise and pleasure crossing her face.
For a moment, they stood there, lost in each other's eyes, the 3D rendering forgotten.
"Ahem, so what do you think?"
Elise broke the tense silence, fidgeting with the pieces of paper out of shyness.
Brandon took a closer look at the renderings, his eyes scanning over the intricate details. He couldn't help but be impressed by the level of expertise displayed.
The team had managed to capture every nuance of his idea, translating it into a professional, polished design. It was clear that Elise and her staff were at the top of their game, able to execute a brand new concept with such precision and skill.
"These are incredible," Brandon said, genuinely amazed.
"You've nailed every detail. I approve wholeheartedly."
He paused, a thought occurring to him.
"But do you have enough diamonds in stock? We need to make sure they're matched perfectly. Any discolorations or deviations in clarity will become obvious in such a large piece."
A hint of pride flickered across Elise's face.
"You're forgetting that I'm an Oppenheimer," she said, a slight smirk playing on her lips.
"We own the biggest diamond mines in the world. Our family has always been diamond wholesalers, but I wanted to start a direct retail channel myself."
Brandon's eyebrows rose in surprise.
He reached out, gently caressing her face with his hand.
Elise's eyes widened slightly at his touch, a mix of vulnerability and warmth in her gaze.
"It must be tough," Brandon said softly, "but hey, I'm here for you always."
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