Custom sterling & mahogany obsidian cufflinks with points by Naked & Afraid’s Billy Berger.

Have you seen Discovery Channel’s hit show Naked & Afraid? And are you wondering what Naked & Afraid star Billy Berger has to do with my newest pair of cufflinks?

To enlighten unaware TroysArt readers, Naked & Afraid is a reality TV show that matches two specialists in the art of survival, a man and a woman, who meet in a Godforsaken hellhole and are given the task of surviving for 21 days, naked. The participants disrobe, meet, get down to the almost impossible task of finding potable water, food, and shelter before making a journey to an extraction point where they are rescued. They don’t even have shoes!

Billy Berger posing after his return from Naked & Afraid.

In the first season we saw Billy Berger of Georgia and Ky Furneaux of Australia paired in the Atchafalaya Swamp. The Atchafalaya is the largest swamp in the United States—I’ve been there and I know how inhospitable it can be. Sure, I’ve been on the edge in a boat, clothed, with a cooler full of beer and water, a fishing pole, a cell phone, and a can of OFF! But in the episode Beware the Bayou which originally aired July 28, 2013, we watched Billy and Ky eat water moccasins that he grabbed with his damn hands and survive in six inches of floody guck.

Did I see them weave a crawfish trap and bait it with the leaches they caught on their ankles? Yes, I did. Did I see them swim across a pond full of ginormous alligators? I did.

I think that Beware the Bayou is one of the iconic episodes in the Naked & Afraid series. Following Billy on Facebook is how it came to my attention that, as a survivalist, he makes authentic primitive weapons with very tiny, sharp arrowheads. And the first thing I thought when I saw tiny arrowheads was, of course, cufflinks!

Mahogany obsidian points by Billy Berger.

Anyone who knows me personally is rather familiar with my affinity for unusual cufflinks. So I contracted Billy to create a pair of arrow points, approximately 1 ¾” long.

And as Billy worked to carve the arrowheads I gathered the other materials needed, such as five feet of fine sterling silver wire. The points are made from mahogany obsidian that Billy acquired in Oregon.(Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an igneous rock. It is hard, brittle, and fractures with very sharp edges which makes it ideal for cutting and piercing tools, and has been used as surgical scalpels.)

He was initially concerned that the points would not perfectly match, but I had faith. And there was obviously no need to worry; they are perfect. He is a true artisan.

Billy added, “If you want more cufflink points I’ll gladly make them for you!”

Of course I will want more.  He will have to keep an eye open for some unusual, colorful material for me.

Custom sterling cufflinks with mahogany obsidian points by Billy Berger.

To bring my vision together Mr. Lee at A/V Jewelry (at Lam Bespoke Showroom, 2032 West Alabama, Houston, TX) had the opportunity to get creative. And the outcome is rather distinctive and outstanding—if I do say so myself.

Is it ironic that this son-of-the-swamp’s new cufflinks are made by a guy famous for running around the swamp with no clothes?

Discovery Channel– Naked & Afraid

Discovery Channel – Billy Berger’s Bio

Primitive Pathways

Check out the links above for more information and click on the pics above for a closer look at the stones.  Oh, and thanks to Billy for permission to use one of his personal images!