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Taylor Swift hugs Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce after a game last month against the Baltimore Ravens while wearing a diamond bracelet designed by Wove, a company founded by two former US Army Rangers.
Rob Carr/Getty Images
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Rob Carr/Getty Images
Taylor Swift hugs Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce after a game last month against the Baltimore Ravens while wearing a diamond bracelet designed by Wove, a company founded by two former US Army Rangers.
Rob Carr/Getty Images
Last year, NPR told the story of two combat veterans who opened a jewelry company called Wove, which allows couples to design a ring and then see a 3D-printed replica before spending thousands of dollars on a real diamond.
Co-founder Andrew Wolgemuth says business has been good. An agreement with military commissariats placed Wove on bases around the world. Then last year, an investor connected Wove with golfer Michelle Wie West to design some jewelry, including a line that donated profits to wildfire relief in Hawaii, where he grew up. Then came the next connection.
“It turns out that Michelle is friends with Travis Kelce and was able to connect with him, and Travis wanted to design a bracelet for Taylor,” Wolgemuth says.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end is dating mega-pop star Taylor Swift, whose concerts and even game attendance have a notable impact on local economies. Kelce worked with Wove to design a diamond bracelet that included the letters TNT. They’re pretty sure he gave it to her for Christmas.
And then Wolgemuth and his team began to watch football very carefully.
The Chiefs won the AFC championship game in late January and Swift hugged her boyfriend, the bracelet shining on her wrist for everyone to see.
“In the last two weeks, sales have increased by approximately 2,000% across the board,” says Wolgemuth.
As a former US Army Ranger, Wolgemuth makes a habit of not commenting on politics, the culture war or Taylor Swift conspiracy theories – but I’d say his overworked team is ready if Kelce is shopping for an engagement ring after the Super Bowl this weekend.