It's not a lump of coal, and it's not a rock like the ones Charlie Brown gets on Halloween, but one of Nordstrom's stocking-stuffer possibilities this holiday season—well, actually, it is a rock. And people are confused, per BuzzFeed, which reports on the $85 "Los Angeles-area stone" clothed in "rich, vegetable-tanned American leather secured by sturdy contrast whipstitching" that the retailer is hawking for $85. Even Nordstrom doesn't seem sure what "Wrapped Stone" really is, noting in its website description: "A paperweight? A conversation piece? A work of art? It's up to you." BuzzFeed compiles the best musings, cheers, and complaints about the item, including a single mom of five who says "no one in my family will eat this month, however I have a piece of rock," and a man who says it offers "existential validation." "If some jerk can sell a rock in leather for $85, I'll be ok," he tweets.
And then there's the romantic who bought the stone for his girlfriend and refutes the description that "each piece is made by hand," noting there were "many markings from factory machinery." A Nordstrom spokeswoman tells BuzzFeed that the "handmade" claim refers only to the stone's leather pouch, because obviously "only Mother Earth can take credit for rocks." Meanwhile, Made Solid, the company that produces the stone, tells BuzzFeed "it's not a joke" and that it's "one of our most consistently popular items." So how would Made Solid classify the products (there's also a smaller one on sale for $65)? They're "really cool, labor intensive objects that are used as everything from paperweights to doorstops to home/display accents." Duh!
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And then there's the romantic who bought the stone for his girlfriend and refutes the description that "each piece is made by hand," noting there were "many markings from factory machinery." A Nordstrom spokeswoman tells BuzzFeed that the "handmade" claim refers only to the stone's leather pouch, because obviously "only Mother Earth can take credit for rocks." Meanwhile, Made Solid, the company that produces the stone, tells BuzzFeed "it's not a joke" and that it's "one of our most consistently popular items." So how would Made Solid classify the products (there's also a smaller one on sale for $65)? They're "really cool, labor intensive objects that are used as everything from paperweights to doorstops to home/display accents." Duh!
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