The world's first cetacean adornment lab.
Aquapierced was founded in 2021 on a single, audacious premise: that marine mammals have been swimming suboptimally for millions of years, and a well-placed piece of jewelry might finally do something about it.
Our origin story.
In early 2021, a group of marine hydrodynamicists, cetacean behaviorists, and a single very committed industrial designer met at a coastal research park. They had one question: what if? What if the boundary layer along a dolphin's rostrum could be stabilized with a passive vortex generator? What if that generator doubled as a genuinely flattering piece of jewelry? What if we were taking all of this just slightly too seriously?
Three years later, we are still at it. Our clinical cohort has grown to 14 instrumented bottlenose dolphins, our publication list has grown to three peer-reviewed papers in the Journal of Applied Cetacean Orthodontics, and our founder has grown a somewhat unsettling affection for a dolphin named Churro.
Our leadership.
Aquapierced is led by Dr. Fin, our Chief Cetacean Officer, whose credentials include a DMB (Doctorate of Marine Biology) and a PhD in Marine Orthodontics. Dr. Fin is joined by Dr. Mariko Ebisu (Fluid Mechanics), Lena Vo (Behavioral Research Lead), and Harper Kade, our in-house industrial designer, whose only credential is a loud conviction that cetacean jewelry should be taken seriously.
Our certifications.
- ISO 13485 — Medical Device Quality Management
- CCC Index v3 — Cetacean Clinical Compatibility
- J.A.C.O. Peer Review Panel — Editorial Partnership
- Coastal Marine Bioethics Board — Member in Good Standing
Our mission.
To equip every cetacean that wants one with a 0.3-gram piece of medical-grade titanium, and to publish as many rigorously footnoted scientific papers about it as possible.
Our sister brand, Dolphindrip, approaches the same product category from a streetwear and lifestyle perspective.
Interested in our research?
Start with our Science page for the deep dive, or jump straight to the whitepapers.