This project started as a big batch of broken and un-loved jewelry with a lot of decent stones in it. So, I pulled all stones and sent the metal into the refiner. Then I went about designing a new piece using up all the old stones. At first the idea was maybe a brooch..
More after the click…
But then it changed to maybe a pendant.. A butterfly maybe?
No, too much; the butterfly pendant was way too fancy. We needed more everyday wearable—like only 20 diamonds and a handful of opals can be..
Every-day wearable. And still cool. Check.
The wax of the piece. I proposed to carve the wax base for the diamonds and build/solder on the bezels for the opals. Because my last experiment with bezel-setting in gold using 14K was painful, I decided to go easy on myself and use 22K bezels. Opals are soft stones, and 22K is a dream.
The piece freshly cast into 18K gold (+ a little bit of polishing). There is a lot of gold here.
The bottom is cool.
Et voila! The finished pendant.
Soldering on all the tiny bezels was not super easy. I spent a lot of tedious hours making the bezels seamless on the piece and sanding/polishing between the little spokes, all the while listening to Dan Savage’s podcast. Now I know a lot about people who have sexual fetishes for snorting things up their noses (like gummy bears).. or outie belly buttons. I like to think I’m a richer person because of this.
That middle diamond, for size reference, is 5mm in diameter. And all those little diamonds are 1 point freaking 3 mm in diameter (cough cough). (Mine eyes..)
The finished back. I like how the center stone pokes down so starkly and pointily on a back that is all soft curves and swoops.
I know I say this about everything you create, but this is amazingly gorgeous!
OMG—-cuzzin Marlene will have to hire a bodyguard when she steps out for the evening. She will be thrilled. This piece is worthy of a gala opening at the opera or the Oscar’s. You did it again….and I am bedazzled. –yo Mama
Wow Peg said it all
very beautiful
jeff
Hi Cheyenne,
Your process is what’s so incredible! You are amazing!
Wow, thanks for sharing your creative process on this one! Really beautiful!