Technical Model and Gem Setting for Contemporary Artist Maxfield Mellenbruch
"Rare" Bejeweled Steak
Rare is a striking 2.56-pound ribeye steak sculpture, cast in pure platinum and encrusted with over 12,000 gemstones — natural colorless diamonds and vivid red Mozambique rubies. Conceived by contemporary artist Maxfield Mellenbruch — founder of Kialara, renowned for its fine art bitcoin wallets — Rare unites conceptual provocation and masterful craft.
To bring the piece to life, Mellenbruch commissioned Daniel Starling to modify his sculptural rendering into a technical cast-ready model, and to hand-set the work with thousands of gemstones.
Rare: From Artist's Rendering to Cast-Ready Model
Starling meticulously set a total of 216 carats of gemstones in a freeform composition: 78 carats of natural diamonds and 138 carats of rubies. The prongs for each of the 12,159 stones were hand-carved under a microscope — an effort that required months of intense focus and the highest level of technical mastery.
“In the tradition of Fabergé, Rare reimagines the ordinary as opulent. Where once imperial courts commissioned gem-studded eggs to project dynastic power, Rare takes a cut of meat and elevates it into a crown jewel of contemporary art. It's Fabergé-level obsession and singularity — delivered with a modern, irreverent twist.”
— Maxfield Mellenbruch
Rare makes a bold statement in the contemporary art world through its concept, scale, and the remarkable craftsmanship behind its creation.
The piece was exhibited and auctioned at Bitcoin 2025, held May 27–29 at The Venetian in Las Vegas, where it sold for $540,000.
Photos and video courtesy of Maxfield Mellenbruch
