Trueing’s Latest Lighting Collection Is Off the Chain

Consider the ubiquitous chain link. It’s seldom decorative, mostly functional—rarely do those two qualities intermingle. But Brooklyn design studio Trueing’s latest lighting collection, Cerine, which spans a floor lamp, sconce, and two varieties of pendants, successfully achieves that balance. Co-founders Aiden Bowman and Josh Metersky channeled delicate golden necklace chains, rough metal versions found in shipyards, and the decorative chain motifs that grace beaux-arts facades to successfully recast the ignoble fastener as a sophisticated statement piece with the studio’s signature whimsical touch.

“The chain has a certain softness and character to it,” says Metersky, who notes that each link varies slightly, but those differences are virtually imperceptible from afar. Each chain is hand-formed in crystal-clear borosilicate glass and lamp-worked into a series of links that support an illuminated glass orb. “Chain is also common in traditional lighting design—we wanted to make something that would reinterpret that vernacular, putting an interesting spin on the familiar.” With seven color varieties giving rise to near-endless configurations, Trueing seems to have achieved that. See for yourself at Pas de Calais’s flagship in SoHo, New York, where Cerine’s various forms will illuminate the landmarked cast-iron building’s window displays through May 31.

Bowman and Metersky break down the details for us.

16 Inches of borosilicate glass rod needed to craft each chain link

15 Minutes required to lamp-work each one into a chain link

7 Colors available 

4 Metal finishes to choose from, including brushed brass, oil-rubbed bronze, polished nickel, and satin nickel

8 Hours each link spends in the annealing oven

1080 Degrees the glass reaches 

22 Links in the Cerine Swagged Pendant

11 Months spent developing Cerine, from sketch to launch

4 Cerine fixtures, including the Swagged Pendant, Sconce, Floor Lamp, and Single Pendant