Introduction

If you are new to the world of artisan keycaps, I recommend reading my first article on them courtesy Jelly Key itself, which also goes over the what and why of these very custom, niche products. That article went over two example keycaps from the Vietnamese company, and I then had a few more over the last few months, and even more in the form of news posts since the samples arrived a bit too late to put out a dedicated quick look article. I've been impressed not only with the overall quality and design of these various artisans but also how quickly the company seems to churn them out, while still selling out every single time.


It does seem that Jelly Key's creativity is boundless, given we are back already with another artisan keycap group buy, and thanks to them for arranging a finalized prototype keycap for TechPowerUp! The subject of this quick look is an interesting artisan keycap that's part of the new Immense Ocean series – Coral Odyssey group buy. This is a follow up to a few different coral-themed keycaps from the Vietnamese brand, including one that I was unable to cover a couple of months ago owing to a late delivery. I was eager to see how the new series looked then, especially since I thought the previous one could have been more vibrant. There are a few different things employed here including Jelly Key's droplet profile as well as subtle glow-in-the-dark elements so let's take a closer look now and see if this is the type of keyboard customization which appeals to you.

Packaging

I have previously covered in more detail how Jelly Key spent more time on the actual packaging design than many companies spend on entire keyboards, and I had already seen all three sizes of the solid paper boxes used by the company, which are in turn made of fully recycled materials. Based on my previous experiences, I already knew this box was going to contain a space bar sized keycap. It has the Jelly Key logo on front and a list of contents on the side, alongside a seal with contact information. Opening the packaging reveals the actual product box held in place by a shaped compartment in the solid paper packaging, and we then get to a small wooden box with a rounded, smooth finish.


As always, the hand-applied seal is a nice touch with Jelly Key products, and a marketing tagline is etched into the back. Note that this is only a finalized prototype sample; retail products will come with the entire contents listed on the packaging above. As such, I was also told that the keycap may not fully represent the quality of finished products from the group buy, so keep that in mind as we move forward. The box opens up to reveal the keycap presented like a gift. There is foam lining on the lid, with the actual keycap inside a thicker foam piece with a cutout to snugly hold and protect the product.

Closer Examination

Given I was not able to cover the previous group buy entry in this series, I decided to show it off here alongside the newer one. The older, shorter keycap shares similar elements and designs no doubt but it is immediately obvious that the newer Immense Ocean series builds upon it by adding in not only more detailed elements and a larger number of individually cast pieces, but also uses more lively colors that make it seem like an ecosystem you would see when snorkeling, not deep-sea diving. The droplet profile also contributes greatly to this since the rounded profile allows for users to better appreciate the keycap from all sides.


I have here a 6.25u space bar keycap in the "Aurora Borealis" design. The other two designs—Emerald Forest and Reef Amethyst—differ not only in the colorway but also the actual pieces used in the layer-by-layer assembly done here. The underside confirms the use of Cherry MX-style cross-point stem compatibility for most mechanical keyboards on the market, and this sample also sports a "not for sale" badge to indicate it is a demo unit. The Jelly Key logo is also stamped here for branding purposes. A closer look at the keycap shows the various elements that have gone into the making of the keycap. There are simply too many to name but we see fish, crustaceans, corals, and even some sunken treasure. I kept discovering new things as I marvelled at the keycap in person.


For those interested, the group buy page has a short story about the entire series. I was more interested in the brief summary on how these keycaps were made, and this is a tedious process involving individually casting the various pieces, painting them, and finally the hand-assembly itself. Amidst all these, Jelly Key mentions the new series has taken advantage of a new technology to allow for transparent layers to be added during the layered assembly process to increase light reflection and ultimately result in these brighter colors we see. The larger keycaps get a 12-layer casting process in comparison to the 7-layer process on the shorter keycaps. The ability to make certain parts of the keycap transparent also helps add in some lume to the artisan units here while also benefiting from backlighting, if available on the keyboard.


Examining the keycap under a microscope better reveals the extent of details on the various elements and cast pieces. There was only one air bubble I spotted here too and I'd say this theme, if there was ever any, can justify bubbles anyway. I also appreciated the deliberately worn texture applied to the man-made objects here. The wall thickness is ~2 mm but there is enough room on a keyboard without hitting other keycaps.


I used the Anne Pro 2 keyboard to demonstrate the keycap installed, and it conforms to the standard Cherry MX stem compatibility, even if it seems tight with spacing on some non-traditional layouts or thicker keyboard cases. But I have not had any issues with the various keyboards here, so I can't imagine this will be a deal breaker in itself. The only choice here is on the space bar key of course, although the group buy includes 1u, 2.25u, and three space bar sizes to choose from. Note also the photo above with the LEDs on the keyboard lit up. It's a subtle thing but still adds positively here and is the first time I've seen this transparent tech used with artisan keycaps. The glow-in-the-dark pigments are also not very strong to not distract in the dark. I can certainly see people getting the other sizes to add to the Esc and R.Shift keys, for example.

The Immense Ocean series – Coral Odyssey artisan keycaps from Jelly Key are currently available under the group buy option that ends 9th May 2023, if not sooner if already sold out, with no further sales planned. The keycaps are available in three designs, five sizes, and three profiles including a "Naked" profile that does not have a resin pour on top. It's not for everyone of course but will make for an even bigger statement than the Droplet or SA profiles will. These cost $55-108 each and, as seen on the group buy page where you will also find wallpapers in this theme for downloads, there are further discounts and gifts for those buying multiple keycaps, including a matching desk pad. TechPowerUp readers also get a 5% discount code: 5p-kd2036gx, if it helps push you over the line in case these keycaps intrigue you!