As I only get two weekends a month where I can really sink my teeth into a project this last weekend I had planned to make a pendant that used a few different techniques, that expanded on a look I like and have played with before and that ultimately I'd be happy to wear.
So I made a large ring, soldered and shaped it, etched part of it (along with a piece of tube) and then made three components. A bezel set abalone bead (which I had to make less high and with the corners rounded off), a reticulated strip, and then a nugget that was going to be flush set with another element hanging from it. I made the beads by sawing the tube into four and then flared the ends.
The small glass stone (taken from an old broken costume necklace I couldn't quite get rid of) isn't properly set but it's a start. In fact everything needs a bit of refining but that's par for the course! I did the soldering with teeny pieces of solder, cleaned everything up, sawed through the ring, added all of the elements including a bail made from scrap from the reticulated strip, soldered it back together and cleaned up. Stones were set and polishing done. Because the flush set stone was clear I added a drop of green alcohol ink to give it a (temporary) colour.
I'm considering a bit of liver of sulphur/coffee/ ammonia mix to add a streak of colour to some areas to bring out the etching a little, and add visual balance.
I'm pretty pleased with the result and already planning how I can make a similar but different piece.
Photos show the pendant made with weekend plus the one I made last summer that was my starting point.
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