So close to finishing the inlays:
 

 
Just that pesky Earth to go! As I said on the phone, I'm hoping for some inspiration regarding materials this weekend so we can finish this up for you.  
 
I'll send an email in a few minutes with some of the materials tests we completed.

Oh and a closeup of Jupiter without the light flaring out the lower half:
 

 
It really looks like the banded clouds.

Wow!  This is looking great!

So we had to work on this idea a while. How to make the Earth inlay look like Earth when it's only 5/8 across. After some experimenting with a new material for us, I'm extremely happy with the results:
 

 
I have to say thanks to Eric for having confidence that we would get this tricky part worked out. As a result, we have a lovely, watery looking Earth with some recognizable continents in malachite. We decided to make the view have mostly Pacific Ocean, since it's the water features that sets our planet apart from the others.  
 
And like I always am saying around here, it looks MUCH better in person, and remember it's not as big as you see on your screen in real life. Hope you like it.
 
All together, this is a super cool inlay!

Wow - the clever decision to make this mostly water really makes it look spherical.  It looks like a marble that's about to roll off the table.  I love it.

THe Earth inlay is fantastic! It nearly looks 3 dimensional  or  is that just the clever lighting of the photographer ?
 
(Message edited by sonicus on February 08, 2011)

I love it! What a fantastic job.
MIke

Awesome, one of my favorites!

That looks awesome!

Absolutely fabulous.  I saw the rest of the instrument minus this inlay in person.  It's really incredible.

Absolutely fabulous.  I saw the rest of the instrument minus this inlay in person.  It's really incredible.

That is way nicer than anything that I imagined.  This is going to be an incredible bass!  I can't believe the attention to detail that you all put in at Alembic.  You have put incredible thought into this beautiful piece of artwork.  I am going to be afraid to play it!

I just want to add thanks for the call from Mica today.  She has been incredible keeping me up to date on her ideas for this bass.

Very cool!