Item003: IBM Memory Chip Necklace - IBM 4300 Mainframe Computer Memory

About the Necklace

This pendant is made from an upcycled 1990s IBM 4300 mainframe series memory chip. The pendant is a little over an inch square. There are two memory chip dies on the ceramic package. Each chip is a 64KB memory chip with sophisticated error correction. The chip dies are mounted face down on the ceramic package. Each of the chip's connection points had a tiny ball of solder placed on it. The chip was placed on the ceramic package, with all the traces, so that the solder lined up with traces. The chip was vibrated very fast and the solder melted connecting it to the ceramic package. The gold/brown color "varnish" on the package that makes it look vintage is actually a protective coating that IBM put on. I have added a clear varnish to protect the chip as well.

Included:

The 1" square bronze pendant (due to manufacturing differences your chip may look slightly different than the one pictured here), a 24" necklace, and a ChipScapes card that gives information about this jewelry.