The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice; instead, it is for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not be current. This website may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; we do not recommend or endorse the contents of any third-party sites. Readers of this website should contact their attorney, accountant or credit counselor to obtain advice with respect to their particular situation. No reader, user, or browser of this site should act or not act on the basis of information on this site. Always seek personal legal, financial or credit advice for your relevant jurisdiction. Only your individual attorney or advisor can provide assurances that the information contained herein – and your interpretation of it – is applicable or appropriate to your particular situation. Use of, and access to, this website or any of the links or resources contained within the site do not create an attorney-client or fiduciary relationship between the reader, user, or browser and website owner, authors, contributors, contributing firms, or their respective employers.
Credit.com receives compensation for the financial products and services advertised on this site if our users apply for and sign up for any of them. Compensation is not a factor in the substantive evaluation of any product.
There is such a thing as an $85 rock, and you can buy it at Nordstrom.
This is not the stone of 1975 Pet Rock fame (which, for the record, you can get for less than $20 online). Back then the Pet Rock had a clear purpose: It was a joke. The Medium Leather Wrapped Stone, on the other hand, is somewhat of a mystery. Not even the writers at Nordstrom knew what to say about it, so they left it open to interpretation: “A paperweight? A conversation piece? A work of art? It’s up to you.”
To be fair, it seems like the focus of this thing is the leather pouch in which it sits, rather than the rock itself. Made Solid — the company behind the Medium Leather Wrapped Stone and its more affordable counterpart, Small Leather Wrapped Stone ($65) — sells handmade leather products.
But what is a leather-wrapped stone without the stone? An empty container that probably won’t hold much of anything. So, really, it’s about the rock. Considering its crucial role, you’d think they’d tell you a little more about the geological superstar, beyond the fact that it comes from the San Bernardino Mountains. But maybe that’s part of the mystery.
And a mystery it is, because if the existence of an $85 rock doesn’t bewilder you, consider this: It’s a hot commodity. Two of the four versions of the Leather Wrapped Stones for sale on Made Solid are sold out. Who knows how long Nordstrom will have them in stock. For all of you who’ve been wondering what hot holiday gift you should get for your loved ones, you have an answer: A one-of-a-kind, made-in-the-USA rock.
We figured there had to be more to it — some sort of purpose or value one doesn’t immediately see in a rock snuggled up in leather — and we got some answers. Peter Maxwell, a representative for Made Solid, said the Leather Wrapped Stone is one of the company’s most popular items, and while they don’t define a purpose for it, “they’re pretty cool as display objects/accents.” So, perhaps we’ll just call it art.
“As for the price… If we only focus on the rock, then of course it makes no sense. It’s about the leather and technique, also artistic sensibility,” Maxwell said in an email to Credit.com, detailing the labor-intensive production process. “This isn’t a simple pocket of machined stitched cheap leather that a rock was jammed into, haha. I think most people would see them in a different light if they were able to hold one.”
Sure, it might seem a tad expensive. But by all means, if you have $85 to spend and know the Leather Wrapped Stone would add a level of class to your sister’s desk that her one-a-day calendar just doesn’t deliver, go for it. But as tempted as you might be to put it on the old credit card and worry about it later, be careful: It’d be a shame to resent that fancy desk rock come January when it’s the reason you have to cut corners to stay on budget or pay off your credit card bill. (You can see how your credit card balances may be affecting your credit by viewing two of your credit scores, updated every 30 days, for free on Credit.com)
Oh, the things we have to do without to stay out of debt.
Image: Made Solid
September 13, 2021
Uncategorized
August 4, 2021
Uncategorized
January 28, 2021
Uncategorized