LOS ANGELES – September 21, 2009 – Since its debut, the U.S.S. Enterprise featured in the 2009 Star Trek movie has drawn much attention with its sweeping lines and powerful silhouette.

A highly anticipated redesign, with curves and dimensions that diverge from the TV series and earlier movies, this Enterprise still owes much to its forbears, incorporating at least one aspect from each earlier ship design.

Yet the new Enterprise – a paradigm of engineering and style – boldly goes where no starship has gone before. The latest Enterprise has existed only as a flight of imagination in pixels until now.

The Quantum Mechanix U.S.S. Enterprise Artisan Replica is the first and only screen-accurate, studio- scale re-creation of the Federation flagship, as seen in J.J. Abrams' blockbuster film.

To look at this stunning model is to be transported in space and time. Drawing directly from the same digital master files used to create the visual effects in the movie, QMx’s design team developed the nearly three-foot-long replica of the latest starship Enterprise from the ground up. No detail was spared, from the hand-painted graphics to the tiny shuttlecraft docked in the shuttle bay.

Screen-Accurate in Every Respect

The Artisan Enterprise is entirely airbrushed by hand with some 24 colors of metallic and flat paint. A technique known as Aztecing overlaps color layers, multiplying the color effects and giving the finish an extraordinary degree of depth, while precisely matching the hull plating seen in the movie. An automotive base lacquer underneath it all – the same technique used to prepare filming miniatures for hours under hot studio lights – primes and protects the replica.

The model itself was created using master components generated directly from CG files supplied to QMx by Industrial Light & Magic. The sculpture consists of thousands of details, many of which are only barely glimpsed on screen. You could spend hours studying this replica and still find new surprises around the next curve.

Simply put, the combination of meticulous sculpture and expertly applied paint makes the Artisan Enterprise the most detailed and accurate replica of a Star Trek starship that's ever been offered for retail purchase.

Very Special Effects

But what filming miniature would be complete without special lighting effects? The SFX Edition of the Artisan Enterprise features approximately 200 custom-built lighting effects that truly bring the starship to life. The lighting effects include:

• Static interior and exterior lighting
• Anti-collision and formation lighting (flash and strobe)
• Fluid plasma effect inside the impulse engines
• Bussard collectors – Custom circuits and motion effects reproduce the look of the forward end of each warp nacelle
• Illuminated deflector dish – The dish itself is specially-built lighting element – not just lit up by a bulb – with light lines radiating out from the center of the dish, just like in the movie
• Interior lighting for the shuttle bay
• Four-function remote control – The SFX Edition Enterprise comes with a custom remote for interior, warp and impulse, formation and auxiliary lighting

Superior Construction

The Artisan Enterprise replica is constructed with only the best materials available, including resin, laser-cut acrylic and styrene, and features an internal network of brass tubing and steel rods that help ensure rigidity and longevity. Only the ship’s registry number and name are applied as decals: All other graphics are hand painted.

Dimensions

• 34" long x 15.75" wide x 7.5" high
• Stand adds 5.25" to the overall height

Illuminated Base

The U.S.S. Enterprise Artisan Replica sits on a stand that’s shaped like the Starfleet delta shield. The internally lit base highlights the phrase, “To boldly go where no one has gone before …”, which is laser-etched into the stand, along with the Starfleet starburst – the symbol of leadership and command in the Federation.

Studio Pro Shipping Container

The Artisan Enterprise comes packed in a foam-padded, hand-built wooden crate exactly like the apple crates used by the studios for shipping and storing filming props.

An Edition of One

As with all QMx Artisan replicas, the Enterprise is made to order in the U.S. by special-effects artisans (who build models for movies when they're not working on our replicas). Not only does this allow us to offer you a replica of great intricacy and beauty, it also allows you to make your Enterprise uniquely your own. Options available for customization include:

• Shuttle bay doors. Placement of the shuttle bay doors – have them open, partly closed or completely closed – it's your choice!
• Battle damage. At your request our artisans can apply battle damage and additional weathering to your Enterprise, making her look like she's just gone 10 rounds with the Narada! (Note: Applying battle damage to replicas will incur an additional charge. Additional cost will be determined when you detail your order with your QMx Concierge.)
• Lighting. You can choose either the SFX Edition (with lighting effects) or forego lights and save yourself a few quatloos
• Custom-engraved base. At your discretion, you can have the base inscribed with a phrase of your choice, for an additional charge.

The U.S.S. Enterprise Artisan Replica will come in two editions: standard and SFX. The standard edition is built exactly the same as the SFX edition, including all the attention to detail, but excludes the lighting system.

Customers purchasing either edition will be eligible for all the benefits of the QMx Concierge Service, including a personal concierge to help you with your order and any customization requests.

Although every Artisan replica we make is, in a real sense, an edition of one, we understand having an edition number is very important to collectors in determining overall value of a replica. That's why we've set the edition size for Artisan Enterprise at just 500 ships total.

We will be announcing availability soon. Best way to stay informed on preorder and release dates is to sign up for the Enterprise waiting list (see below). Because this is a hand-built, made-to-order replica, please allow 30-90 days for delivery of your very own Enterprise. Sign up for the Enterprise waiting list.* 

*Note: Signing up for the waiting list is not a commitment to buy. However, when we open up preordering for the Enterprise replica those who sign up on the waiting list will get first shot at ordering one of these fine replicas. You will be contacted via e-mail with more information as it becomes available. Please be sure to respond from an e-mail address you check regularly.