What On Earth?

[Dennis]

Our project at college, set last term but carried over into the holiday, was to make a piece of jewellery on the topic of the universe, which immediately translated in my mind to ’Solar System.’

So here is my simplified and not very accurate depiction to be worn as a pendant. The orbits which are made from rectangular strip, reduce in height towards the centre, so giving a terraced look. The sawn edges are unfiled to add texture.

The planets are made from various semi-precious cabochons such as spessartine, sodalite, and rubies. Our earth is made from an opal triplet and the nearby moon from balled up wire. The sun at the centre is a citrine cabochon, with a faceted pavilion. I have avoided too much detail to avoid becoming over fussy, but there is also a ring around Saturn.

The stout braided chain from Bellore can be adjusted with a slider to be worn long or short. Pulling it over your head is not ideal, but seemed the best option for a length of 72cm. Dennis.

[BarryM]

A really god interpretation of the brief, but where are the asteroids?? 😄

[susieq]

Beautiful as ever Dennis. What is the finished diameter? Was burnishing over the cabochons with others so close tricky?

Susie

[MeadMoon]

Wow! I love that. What an excellent interpretation of the brief!

[LydiaNiz]

Anything to do with space and I'm smitten. Plus it's always handy to have a map on you ;-)
I have some pieces of meteorite I want to use, but still waiting for inspiration to strike (hopefully with less catastrophic force).

[Aurarius]

That's very appealing, Dennis, and a sensitive piece of work.
If you'd been able to source a citrine 5 metres in diameter the sun would have been to scale.

[ShinyLauren]

Very cool Dennis! Interpretation and execution excellent.

[Dennis]

A really god interpretation of the brief, but where are the asteroids?? ��
They're too small to see, but it's' more when than if.

[Dennis]

What is the finished diameter? Was burnishing over the cabochons with others so close tricky? Susie

The diameter of the pendant is 35mm and yes you're right Susie, the tube settings are not that well finished, partly because they are crowded, but also because they are sunken in an amphitheatre effect, which makes access more difficult. The stones are only 2-3mm in diameter, so luckily in real life they don't look too bad. Dennis.

[Dennis]

Plus it's always handy to have a map on you ;-)

Well I'm waiting for an offer from Google maps. It's at least a accurate as one of theirs.

[Dennis]

if you'd been able to source a citrine 5 metres in diameter the sun would have been to scale.

What's that in carats then?

[caroleallen]

Loving it Dennis.

[susieq]

The diameter of the pendant is 35mm and yes you're right Susie, the tube settings are not that well finished, partly because they are crowded, but also because they are sunken in an amphitheatre effect, which makes access more difficult. The stones are only 2-3mm in diameter, so luckily in real life they don't look too bad. Dennis.

Ooh Dennis, reading back through my post it does rather imply I was casting nasturtiums on your bezelling ability - absolutely I wasn't, and they look perfect on my little netbook. So sorry it came out wrong. As I haven't managed to set one cabochon yet alone so many close together I was just wondering how you managed to get a burnisher in there to set them. If I ever get to the stage of setting a cabochon to your "not that well finished" standard, then I will be very very happy indeed.

Susie

[Tabby66]

Lovely piece Dennis!!

[mizgeorge]

Just fab Dennis. Great interpretation, and what a delicious result. I think you should be feeling just a little bit smug :)

[Aurarius]

What's that in carats then?

I couldn't give you the precise number, Dennis, but I can tell you it'd be an astronomical one. :)

[Dennis]

Thank you all for your very kind and interesting comments. Don't worry Suzie, I'm never touchy about things.

I knew there'd be trouble, so I drew down the tubes where necessary to limit all the rim thickness to about 0.3mm. Then to avoid too much trauma to the piece I closed the tubes with round pliers followed by bezel closing cups and a curved burnisher. Finally I went round with two grades of rubber wheel reduced in size with a dressing tool.

I suppose to look perfect in a photograph they really needed to be set under a microscope, or preferably sent to Chris or Peter. Regards to all, Dennis.

[theresa]

Lovely piece Dennis. I especially like the sliding chain - great idea.

[Dennis]

Thank you Theresa, I think it will only work for this woven type of chain, which is very strong, but compresses a bit as it goes round the bend. The straight part of the tube is a snug but easy fit. Hope you can fin a use for the idea regards, Dennis.

[silver70]

Really lovely!!

[eirish]

It's quite brilliant, Dennis. I like that you've used five-fold symmetry for the connecting struts, much more interesting than the more obvious four. I've been musing on circles and spirals and orbits lately and I love this interpretation. My only quibble - and this is a very personal foible of mine - is that the attachment rings for the chain look a little like ears. Listening for the music of the spheres, perhaps? ;)

The slider is ingenious, so much cleaner than an adjustment chain.

[Dennis]

Hi (I'd like to have inserted your name here).

Thank you for your interesting comments. It's the detail that keeps me awake at nights, or at worst makes me backtrack if it doesn't work well. As for the jump rings, the decision to have them that way round was that they could simply be tucked under the back, flat on a block for soldering, simultaneously with the ten tube settings.

I take your point though about ears though and shall warn the wearer not to get wax in them.

As for the continuous chain, Should the wearer get fed up with pulling it over her head, plan be would be to add a hook to engage one of the ears. Dennis.

[Keia]

What an amazing necklace Dennis. You must be proud! Just last week we took the kids to see the Lovell telescope where they had a model of the planets on the ceiling and you could orbit all the planets using a handle that was connected with a series a cogs. An idea for your next necklace maybe? =P

[SteveLAO]

A really god interpretation of the brief, but where are the asteroids?? 😄

The mention of asteroids reminds me of and old joke.....How does the solar system keep its trousers up? It uses an asteroid belt!, or my personal solar system funny...how does the man in the moon cut his hair? Eclipse it!

[Dennis]

Thanks Sain.

It's stand up comedy in your next life, Steve. Dennis

[SteveLAO]

Thank goodness it's not my destiny in this life Dennis!! I can see the tumbleweed drifting in the wind already!!

[JonLendrum]

Thats brilliant love that!

[Dennis]

Thanks John.

[enigma]

Thats really cool! what a great idea.

[Dennis]

Thank you.

[Lulabelle]

Absolutely gorgeous Dennis! It's a really pretty and very wearable interpretation. Just out of curiosity I wondered how big in diameter is it?

Lucy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Dennis]

Thank you Lucy. It is 35mm in diameter and the chain is adjustable from a maximum length of 72mm. This follows a trend where it will finally end up, for large pendants on long chains. Dennis.

[Jon]

A really good idea.