New Respect for Wire Artists!

After deciding on the combination of stones, shapes and sizes for new design, I looked through my collection of geodes, hoping to find a focal accent for it. What I found was this beautiful specimen. It was a pretty good match for color and had a crystalline center. Alas, it seemed too big for the necklace. So back to the drawing board, right?

 

It seemed this was another one of those times when I just had to patiently wait till the right stone could be found!! I didn’t want to show this design until it fulfilled my vision for it.  To me, it has always been worth the wait! You may know what I mean, that happy satisfaction!!!

 

So here is what happened to bring this piece to completion.  A  few years ago, at a Gem and Mineral Meeting, I had purchased a fabulous specimen of Calcite crystals.  Since then, having had to move everything due to a huge water damage – and now putting everything back, I rediscovered the 1.5” x 2” natural jewel.  I was looking for something to accent the Fire Agate and Onyx set  that included 3mm rock crystal spacers.  What could be better!!?

But,  how to hold and hang it removably from this necklace?  I did see that it could do double duty as a day time piece, then by adding the natural crystal, be a perfect  “knockout” evening necklace.  But I had no real experience in the making of what was needed.  Also,  the Calcite stone, growing as crystals often do, in several different  directions, needed the wire to secure it by taking advantage of its unique angles.  No machine made hanger would do – this was giving a new meaning to the phrase ‘custom made’.  So I sensibly decided to make this first attempt using copper wire, silver being rather expensive for experimental wrapping, and chose my usual jeweler’s pliers.  I ended with household pliers (don’t laugh) as the copper got harder and harder with repeated bending.  I will spare you looking at that first effort – crude, humbling, pathetic, shall I go on?  I could have bothered to anneal the fatigued metal but I hoped I would finish soon.  Foolish me!

I began at 8 PM, using a growing variety of tools (this was a steep learning curve for me, but I enjoy a challenge, right?).  Taking advantage of the naturally occurring grooves, I tried one way and then a few more, to capture the stone.  No fancy embellishments that skilled wire artists use.  The angularity of the piece seemed to call for a more architectural approach (glad about that!).  I was so engrossed by the process, each turn of the wire taking me closer to the design solution I sought, that I forgot to be tired at my usual bedtime, working on and on till 2AM!!!  Needless to say, my naive (read ‘ignorant’) expectation that I could turn out the prototype in a few hours was laughable.  I did enjoy the experience and will do another copper one, copying each twist and turn, experimenting this time with hammering and forging it.  Finally, it will be time to do the final Sterling one and place the crystal in it.  As it turned out, just the devising of the means of hanging the pendant took me almost two hours and I’m still not sure it will work.  Advice anyone??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perhaps with practice I may become more adept at making armatures for my stones but for now, my deep admiration for the work of those who use wire so skillfully has become awe.

Written by Silvercloud

 

Tags: crystals, Handmade, Handmade Artists, handmade crystal necklace, handmade jewelry, handmade necklace

Posted in Handmade