RockLove rocks Warcraft movie jewelry and also we love it

The Warcraft movie is hitting theaters this week, and while you probably already have it marked on your calendar, do you have the right accessories to wear to the big event? While you don’t necessarily have to accessorize for a night at the movies — it’s not the premiere or anything — we think you’ll want to check out this Warcraft-themed jewelry anyway.

If you’re looking to show your Horde or Alliance pride, Weta Workshop is selling four pieces of jewelry inspired by the Warcraft movie: a Doomhammer pendant, an orc tooth pendant, a lion crest pendant,  and a lion head ring. Each piece was created by RockLove Jewelry, which creates pieces for some of our favorite non-Blizzard brands, too. (Experienced readers can guess which brands we’re talking about.)

We caught up with designer Allison Hourcade to talk about working to create these small-scale movie pieces.

Blizzard Watch: Where did the design process start — did Blizzard or Legendary come to you with specific ideas or were you tasked with finding designs? We’d be especially curious about Blizzard’s involvement in the design process — how much input did they have?

Allison: For this particular project, Weta Workshop, with whom RockLove has collaborated in the past, reached out to me about Warcraft movie jewelry. Masters of props, costuming, and practical effects, every Weta team member is immensely talented, and they encouraged me to design freely. Together we refined our favorite ideas and then presented them to Blizzard and Legendary. Blizzard has a very distinct vision for this film and a notorious eye for detail… aided by close up prop photos and their feedback, we were able to craft screen-accurate jewelry-sized miniatures.

BW: Does RockLove do their own sculpts or are some of these based off of 3D models from the game or movie?

A: Yes, we do everything from sketch to sculpt, manufacture to packaging! 3D models from the game and movie are enormous – that detail doesn’t translate when shrunk down to an inch tall pendant. We build and carve from scratch so every shape and recess is the right dimension for the lost wax casting process. Takes a lot more time, but jewelry is not as simple as miniaturizing; certain details need to be exaggerated or shapes distorted so the design may wrap around a finger and makes visual sense when worn. A fun challenge when designing jewelry since it requires problem solving!

BW: Do the designs come entirely from the the movie or do they take inspiration from the game as well? Is there a balance between the two?

A: The Warcraft jewelry collection celebrates iconic weaponry and armor from the movie, however the movie pays homage to the game. So a fan of either will recognize the design and appreciate the sentiment behind each piece.

BW: Where did you go for inspiration on these pieces?

A: Most exciting, when working with an unreleased movie, show, or game, I get to see top secret assets! Photos from every angle of props, garb, architecture, actors… every item is detailed and inspiring! It’s difficult to choose what ideas to run with, but this is when it helps to be a fan — I know what imagery is most important to the Warcraft world and what I myself would want to wear. I chose to focus on the stoic and powerful Alliance’s lion armor, anesthetized by the rawness and strength of the Horde’s weaponry and leather-wrapped tooth amulets. To me, the lions demonstrate wisdom and virtue, while the teeth represents a tangible reverence to ancestors past.

BW: Was it challenging to create pieces for a world with such a lengthy history? The first Warcraft game came out in 1994, and the visual style has changed quite a lot since then!

A: Though the visual style has changed, the core iconography persists. And whereas this is technically jewelry for the Warcraft movie, I hope fans feel the game’s legacy has been represented.

BW: Are there any more pieces to look forward to?

A: We do have one more piece that is currently unreleased and yes, I do hope to make more designs with Weta Workshop.

We’re certainly curious as to what that final piece is, but in the meanwhile the team here at Blizzard Watch will continue to argue over the superiority of the Doomhammer or Alliance lion pendants. If you need some of this Warcraft-inspired finery in your life, you can find it in the Weta Workshop store, alongside pins and prop replicas if that’s your thing.