BLING IT ON!
Pickleball enthusiast Voytek Stradomski creates beautiful, high-quality pickleball jewelry for players.
Everyone knows pickleball isn’ t just a sport— it’ s a lifestyle. And if you’ re looking for a little pickleball bling to wear on and off the court, lifelong jeweler Voytek Stradomski has got you covered.
A pickleball fan himself, who is ranked 3.5 to 4“ on good days,” Stradomski began creating custom pickleball jewelry at the request of a friend.“ A good friend mentioned his wife wanted a pickleball pendant with her birthstone— diamonds— but he couldn’ t find one anywhere. There were pendants online in silver and pewter but nothing in gold or platinum,” Stradomski says.“ So I made it for him, and his wife loved it and showed it off to friends and family, and the jewelry just grew from there.”
Today, Stradomski has nearly 30 pieces of custom pickleball jewelry available on his website, pickleballgoldjewelry. com. Stradomski expects his newly launched site to
grow over time, just as word-of-mouth referrals have expanded his jewelry business.
Stradomski says everything he does is customized and made with the finest-quality gold and platinum— as well as his fine craftsmanship.
“ I do everything myself,” he says.“ I make the master, then the mold, cast it, set the stones, set the accents and polish it. I can set diamonds or birthstones.”
If gemstones aren’ t your thing, Stradomski can set 14K gold or platinum pickleballs where stones would normally be placed. In addition to pickleball paddle pendants and necklaces, Stradomski designs pickleball rings, earrings, pins, money clips, key chains, tie clips and cufflinks.
Stradomski offers his jewelry as an alternative to traditional tournament trophies. A piece of custom pickleball jewelry is more personal and can be
worn while playing the game— and it won’ t collect dust on a shelf!
And while jewelry is Stradomski’ s first love, playing pickleball in Orange County, California, is his second.“ It’ s the most fun and social sport you can imagine. It’ s an affordable addiction. You only need time and a paddle.
“ Once I played with my friend’ s 6-year-old son,” Stradomski says.“ Our opponents thought,‘ Here’ s a grandpa and a little boy.’ They gave us sympathetic looks and started to play very gently. But the kid had a surprise for them— he was smooshing every ball— and we beat them! Now my little friend is famous in Newport Beach. I’ m pleased to see young kids taking up the sport. They play with such finesse and aren’ t worried about missing the ball.” •
For more information, visit pickleballgoldjewelry. com.
MARCH / APRIL 2018 | MAGAZINE 49