Fuck off, Father Time. Instead of waiting decades to get a beautifully aged cymbal, you can just bury that baby in the ground. Or at least that’s what some of the mad-genius cymbalsmiths at Sabian are betting on.

For a project titled “One of 100,” the company has buried 100 of its primo 21″ Vault Artisan ride cymbals in a specially designed container in eastern Canada. In mid-2009, they’ll be dug up, sonically approved by the Sabian Vault Team (keep in mind the cymbals will have been subjected to the cold, heat, and general misery of the Canadian climate), and then individually packaged in a deluxe wood box, complete with official documentation of authenticity signed by master product specialist Mark Love. Details on how to purchase one of the 100 cymbals will be announced on Sabian’s website in February.

More info from the press release:

In a move driven by market curiosity, Sabian has buried 100 of its premium Vault Artisan ride cymbals and will dig them up from the ground in mid-2009. Why? According to Sabian VP of sales Peter Stairs, the company receives hundreds of queries annually regarding the “aging of cymbals by burying them in the ground.” So the specialists in the Sabian Vault have buried the cymbals in an undisclosed spot near the Sabian factory in eastern Canada. The project is entitled “One of 100.”

Continued Stairs: “Buried cymbals are the stuff of legend. Anecdotal comment indicates that aging the cymbals by burying them in soil actually helps shape their sound. Of course we are as curious as anyone to see what these cymbals sound like when they’re pulled up from the earth. These are custom-sized 21” Artisan medium ride models in a natural finish. They will have endured about eight months of dry, wet, hot, and cold soil including the freezing temperatures of our Canadian winter. We anticipate they will be dirtier looking, and if what the legend says it true, they should be dirtier sounding as well.”

The cymbal of choice for “One of 100” is no accident, says Stairs. “The Artisan ride exemplifies Sabian cymbal-making artistry in that it is hand-hammered traditional-style, and its tone is darker and dirtier…quite earthy. It’s the ideal choice.”