Associated Watch & Jewelry dragon

A shiny metal dragon sits on the roof of a jewelry and watch store on West Kennedy Boulevard, according to Roadside America visitors and the sculpture’s maker. Its maker, Rustic Steel Creations, calls it “Strength in Numbers” and says it was initially fabricated for the 2005 Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Festival, which is where the name comes from. It is made of mirrored stainless steel. The maker’s website places it on top of what it calls the Associated Watch and Jewelry store; a visitor reported it still there in January 2020. In a December 2023 post on Roadside America, Rustic Steel gave its length as 42 feet and said it was built from laser-cut mirrored panels; a visitor in 2011 had estimated about 30 feet. The same post says the dragon first faced the opposite direction and the city asked for it to be repositioned after accidents. That account comes only from the maker. A 2011 visitor placed it on the south side of the street between Lincoln and Himes Avenues; it is seen from the street, not entered.