Eittem
Singularity Timepiece Case
Dropping Tuesday 17 November at 10 AM EST
ABOUT THE DROP
The Project
Created with New York-based luxury atelier Eittem, Dropshop is pleased to release the Singularity - a sculptural timepiece case that functions equally as a watch box and a work of artistic, collectible design. Singularity draws its shape from one of the most enigmatic phenomena in physics: the black hole, where gravity becomes so powerful that space and time are profoundly altered. The broad upper plane takes its cue from the event horizon, sweeping inward toward an off-center point of gravitational pull. At the deepest point lies the singularity, the place toward which the surrounding volume appears inexorably drawn. The transformation is subtle rather than literal. The walnut seems to yield to an unseen presence, creating an object that feels at once grounded and fluid, familiar yet difficult to place.
When cast upon the sculpted lid, a stainless-steel ball creates an experiential pause for the collector; as the ball is released, it circles the funnel and is drawn down into the recess. The concept offers a natural counterpoint to the timepieces held within. A watch is an instrument of extraordinary precision, created to measure time. A singularity is its conceptual opposite, a realm where that familiar measure gives way to something less certain. Carved from salvaged Eastern Black Walnut, the case translates an otherwise imperceptible phenomenon into physical form. The material's solidity, grain, and permanence sit against the sense of quiet motion across its contours, holding mass and fluidity, order and uncertainty, in the same object. Within, six timepieces are held in measured succession, instruments created to define time, sheltered within an object inspired by the point at which time itself escapes conventional measure.
Photo credit: Nicole Horton
Singularity Timepiece Case
Precision-cut from solid wood and hand-finished with exacting care, Singularity fuses cutting-edge technology with traditional craftsmanship. Eittem objects are carved from salvaged Eastern Black Walnut, a dense American hardwood prized for its strength, stability, and expressive grain. Their walnut is salvaged from fallen and necessarily felled trees from the Northeast of the US. Eittem sources walnut with particular attention to character, selecting boards whose natural variation cannot be replicated or engineered. Only ten percent of the walnut they evaluate is suitable for exposed grain pieces.
The Singularity interior is lined with supple, full-grain Togo leather, selected for its softness, durability, and color. The pebbled grain calfskin is wet-molded by hand to fit each form precisely then finished to complement the curved surface of the interior. Flanking the watch compartments, the tray provides a resting place for timepieces or jewelry, while the pocket may store watch straps and other accessories. The removable watch pillows are handcrafted in Eittem’s Manhattan atelier, generously cushioned with dense padding and upholstered in soft, suede-like microfiber.
Custom-designed by Eittem for Singularity, the hand-polished stainless steel hinges are inlaid into the walnut and incorporate an adjustable friction mechanism, allowing the lid to rest securely at any angle within its opening range. Each component is machined, finished, and polished individually to ensure seamless transitions between materials. Stainless steel was chosen for its strength, corrosion resistance, and longevity. Brass hardware is available by request.
17 x 11 1/2 x 4 1/2 in. (43.2 x 29.2 x 11.4 cm)
$9,950, Woodgrain finish
$10,950, Color finish
The Process
Design at Eittem begins with drawing. Each form is sketched in pencil from multiple perspectives, considered as a three-dimensional object from the outset. Shapes are developed through proportion, balance, and how the object engages the body when carried or held. A form is not considered complete until it is aesthetically beautiful and feels fully resolved in the hand.
Once a form is resolved, making begins. The design is verbally translated into digital space with extreme specificity, each tool path and cutting sequence is carefully programmed to achieve tolerances measured in thousandths of an inch. This level of precision is essential to the integrity of the object and exceeds what hand alone can achieve. After carving, every piece returns to the cradle of the hand where sanding, finishing, assembly, and refinement unfold over weeks.
The atelier offers lifetime care of each Eittem, extending the life of materials already in circulation. Each work is crafted from solid wood rather than veneers or composites, often allowing surfaces to be refinished. The hand-molded leather interior can be replaced if needed. Hardware may be adjusted. Every piece is designed to be durable and enduring. This commitment to longevity is reinforced through archival records and the belief that the most sustainable object is one that remains valued and in use for generations.
Singularity on Diego Giacometti's ''Arbre au Hibou' gueridon' © 2026 Succession Giacometti / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris
The Atelier
Eittem (pronounced item) is an American luxury atelier founded by designer and Creative Director Erin Saluti. Working in salvaged American walnut, the atelier creates sculptural objects that bring expressive form, tactility, and functional purpose into dialogue. Each piece is made by a small team of artisans in Eittem’s Manhattan studio, combining advanced digital fabrication with extensive hand finishing.
Saluti’s distilled, archetypal forms invite discovery through material, movement, and touch. Her perspective is shaped by her experience as both a designer and collector, with an attention to the relationships people develop with the objects they choose to live with. From the first sketch through digital modeling to the final hand-finished surface, Eittem’s process moves between the precision of technology and the sensitivity of the hand, creating objects designed to be used, collected, and treasured for a lifetime.
Eittem objects are in private collections around the world. A recent collaboration with The Frick Collection includes Flourish, After Miller, a sculpture in walnut and stainless steel, and a series of exclusive sculptural brooches and handbags. Singularity will be exhibited at Collect, the international art fair for contemporary craft and collectible design, in London in February 2027.
Photo credit: Angela Pham