After first meeting in the summer of 2003, Greg Shelton & Nate McPherson opened a men’s designer clothing & accessory store inspired by boutiques Nate visited while living in Germany. The store, Underguy, happened to be in a mixed facility that housed a small machine shop which produced steel parts for the oil and gas industry.

Having spent the last 12 years as an over-the-road truck driver, Greg’s familiarity with machinery and knowledge of tools gave him an idea while looking at a steel ring Nate had purchased while living in Germany. Using that ring as a guide, Greg purchased a small manual lathe and used scraps from the machine shop next door to create his very first pieces of jewelry. And so Spexton was born.

“The ‘Spexton’ label was actually the formal name of our company long before we ever had the desire to create jewelry,” says Nate. “We liked the way it sounded, and it was completely unique to us, so it just seemed to work very well. The moment Greg made his first bracelet, we knew immediately what the definition and future of ‘Spexton’ would become.”

Greg is the principal machinist, overseeing all production and new designs. Thanks to Greg’s talent, what began as a small bracelet collection is now a broad and highly innovative collection of handcrafted jewelry. “I’m constantly looking for new techniques and materials. I’m motivated by the creative process. I love sculpting an ugly tube of steel into something truly unexpected and beautiful,” says Greg.

Nate, who is responsible for sales, creative-advertising and managing the Spexton store where the pair offer custom jewelry overnight, feels very strongly about the quality of the Spexton product. “Jewelry is a very sacred thing for so many people. Being able to create the symbol for someone’s memories, or life event, or self-expression—it really is an honor—that is the true joy of what we do.”

Spexton jewelry, unlike virtually all other steel and titanium jewelry products, is made entirely without the use of computerized machines, and is instead cut, turned, inlayed, hammered, sanded and polished by hand using manual tools, mills and lathes. Spexton jewelry has a unique, organic presence that is both understated yet stunning, contemporary yet timeless.

The current Spexton retail store and production facility opened in downtown Tulsa in January 2008, and in the upscale Brookside area of midtown Tulsa in the fall of 2009. Having retail spaces allows customers to view their orders being created from start to finish, while interacting with the artists throughout the entire process. Spexton is globally known for its custom product and near-overnight delivery.

The flagship Spexton store is located in a 1920s mixed-use building housing five lofts, an art gallery, a design studio and a microwinery. Each day, Greg and Nate make the 18-step commute from their loft upstairs to begin the day’s orders.

The downtown Spexton store is most popular in the evening when downtown Tulsa’s nightlife flourishes. The urban “jewelry lounge” offers customers a completely different approach to purchasing jewelry in an upscale, cozy and very relaxed atmosphere.

Spexton is sold in both Tulsa boutiques, online at www.Spexton.com and in fine jewelry and accessory stores across the country.

In February of 2007, famed fashion designer Carmen Marc Valvo, who has worn Spexton cuffs over the years, invited Spexton to create all of the runway jewelry for his Fall 2007 show at New York Fashion Week in Bryant Park. “We were very honored and excited to see 40 of our designs on the Valvo runway at Fashion Week.” says Nate. “This is really the ultimate opportunity for a small design house to start getting some buzz, and I can’t think of anything that can top NY Fashion Week as far as accolades go.”

Realizing the potential in the designer jewelry market for an American, handcrafted steel jewelry collection, Nate and Greg have continued to create and expand accordingly. “After Fashion Week, we began targeting contemporary jewelers, high-end department stores and designer fashion boutiques. Today our outside retailers run the gamut from art galleries, traditional jewelers, home accessory stores and more,” explains Nate.

Spexton has been featured in several national publications such as ‘The Artful Home’ and ‘Niche Magazine’. ‘In Store Magazine’ has not only awarded them the coveted “Store of the Month” title, but named them one of the “10 Coolest Stores in North America” and has Spexton gracing the cover of the November 2009 issue.

Chic Galleria, together with Spexton are going to give 1 lucky reader their very own Spexton locking diamond bangle just like the one worn by Britney Spears in the photo above!  A $250 value, this bangle could be a chic New Year’s gift to yourself or a very special someone.  Want to be entered to win?  Just leave a comment on this article and let us know who you would give the bangle to or if you would keep it for yourself!  A winner will be chosen at random from the comments and announced on December 28, 2009.

Congratulations April (lirpaskoorb)!

Tags: bangle, Britney Spears, diamond, jewelry, Spexton, steel, titanium