TL;DR

• Elton John revealed he turned his removed kneecap into a gold-framed statement necklace.
• The piece was created after double knee replacement surgery and crafted by designer Theo Fennell.
• The bone had to be dried, treated, and polished to become wearable jewelry.
• John described the necklace as timeless and “Egyptian artefact–like.”
• The singer also shared updates on his worsening vision, balancing vulnerability with optimism.

Elton John Turns His Own Kneecap Into Jewelry — Because Of Course He Did

When Camp Meets Calcium

If anyone was going to turn part of their skeleton into a fashion moment, it was always going to be Sir Elton John. The 78-year-old legend—already a maximalist icon of feathers, sequins, and sartorial chaos—has now debuted a necklace made from his actual kneecap. Yes, the one that used to be inside his body. Yes, he wore it publicly with pride. And yes, it’s somehow fabulous.

The reveal came during the documentary Elton John: Never Too Late, where he detailed how, after a double knee replacement, he asked his startled surgeon if he could keep the bones. Most people get sent home with aftercare instructions; Elton left surgery planning couture.

The result? A gleaming gold-framed patella pendant that looks like it walked out of a museum display or a particularly queer episode of Antiques Roadshow.

“It looks a bit like an old artefact from Egypt,” he said—and honestly, he’s not wrong.

“My Right Kneecap. That’s My Right Patella.”

Elton proudly lifted the necklace for cameras at the premiere, explaining that his right kneecap—damaged with “the worst knees” his surgeon had ever seen—had a natural cavity that made it look even more ancient and mystical.

“When I had my kneecaps removed, the left one first and then the right, I asked my surgeon if I could keep them,” he said. “He was rather startled.”

Designer Theo Fennell then took on the unusual commission, describing how he had to dry the bone until it was “like pumice stone,” paint it with acetate, and polish it into a wearable piece.

“These are timeless pieces that will last for centuries,” Elton declared. If vampires have favorite jewelers, this is how they shop.

A Necklace With a Message—And A Wink

Fennell noted that the piece is engraved with a Latin phrase meaning: “I will no longer bow to any man.” A bold declaration—though, as Elton pointed out, with no kneecap, he couldn’t bow if he wanted to.

The entire creation is equal parts macabre, magnificent, and magnificently Elton.

Elton’s Health: Brutal Honesty, Unbreakable Hope

Beyond the bone couture, the singer spoke about the challenges he’s faced in recent years. After battling a major eye infection, Elton has lost vision in his right eye and says his left eye is deteriorating.

“I haven’t been able to see anything, watch anything, read anything,” he shared, calling the experience “devastating.”

And yet, in classic Elton fashion, he still found light: “I’ve had the most incredible life, and there is hope. I’ve just gotta be patient that someday science will help me with this one.”

It’s the same spirit that led him to turn surgical leftovers into a glam pendant—resilience wrapped in camp, resilience threaded with gold.

The LGBTQ+ Impact: An Icon Who Shows Vulnerability Without Losing Spark

For generations of LGBTQ+ people, Elton John has been a beacon—open, flamboyant, and fearlessly himself in a world that often demands queerness shrink. His honesty about aging and disability shows a different kind of courage: confronting decline while keeping his humour, creativity, and queerness intact.

By laughing at the absurdity of wearing his own bones, Elton reminds queer audiences that our bodies tell stories—of survival, reinvention, and joy even in hardship.

And honestly? If self-love means turning your kneecaps into jewelry, then the rest of us need to step up our game.