James Christian "Absolem"

Inspired by the caterpillar of the same name in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the Absolem is also a tribute to Alan Rickman, who played the character in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. This is a personal piece, since the silversmith's family is big fans of the late, great actor. With such inspiration, it's no wonder this buckle looks like it belongs on the pages of the book. Its curved, sterling silver face is blackened, then adorned with letters of all shapes and sizes. All of them are hand-cut, and made from silver, fourteen-carat and eighteen-carat gold. As a final flourish, Stegman has placed several yellow and blue sapphires over the entire piece. Signed by the artist with “smoke rings" carved into the back of the buckle, this is a one-of-a-kind collectible. Fits all 1.5-inch belt straps.

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America's oldest western silversmiths, Comstock Heritage was founded in 1886. Since then they have been perfecting the art of taking metal from the earth and shaping it into something beautiful. James Christian Stegman is the current owner. The Stegman family has owned the business since the 1920s, making everything from badges for law enforcement to ornamentation for saddles. Using this storied history and expertise, the craftsmen at Comstock now specialize in one-of-a-kind custom silver and gold pieces. Everything Comstock produces is made entirely by hand, reflecting respect for the materials and care for the family legacy of Comstock Heritage.