Great Jones King Sear
King Sear, 12-inch cast-iron skillet, is the largest frying pan in the collection. It’s a strong, durable workhouse to make chicken thighs with crispy skin, caramelized onions, and medium-rare steak — and it’s big enough that you’ll only need one pan to feed multiple pals.
Cast iron is truly superior at retaining and evenly distributing heat — there’s a reason humans have been cooking with cast iron for eons. It's pre-seasoned for you, meaning it’s nonstick from day one, easy to clean, and requires minimal maintenance. The high heat capacity of cast iron makes it a heavy lift, but I've mitigated that by designing a thick primary handle (with a hanging loop!) and the signature oversize helper handle.
I had the opportunity to design Great Jones' Cast Iron Skillet in 4 days.
For Great Jones
Great Jones is a DTC cookware startup dedicated to making a small selection of stylish and durable pots and pans at lower prices than legacy brands like Le Creuset and All-Clad. The brand is loved for its vintage inspired modern cookware with whimsical branding and colors that attracts many followers.
Concept renderings
The goal for King Sear was to create a design that looks familiar with Great Jones' product line and branding. First, I took the helper handle from The Dutchess and referenced Saucer's spout and handle. Based on their playful branding and vintage aesthetics, I wanted to create something that's bold yet soft.
The new design has rolled, rounded edge with a smooth transition from the helper handle all the way around to the handle. The uniformed thickness of the edge brings each element together and create a pleasing form that sets apart from other cast iron skillets.
Concept exploration
Handle cutout options
