earring wires for pearls

[medusa]

It's the sprog's 18th coming up and I've got my eye on a couple of lovely south sea baroque pearls which are a close match. I want to attach them onto 18ct gold wires. Thing is, I don't really 'do' earrings. I just wear the same old hoops so I'm really unsure how to go about it. I imagine I should get them drilled all the way through and have the end of the gold wire heated into a blob, and I really like the idea of them being super simple and the gold just being in one piece from the back of the ear to the end of the pearl, but would that work? Would I be able to get the wire bent correctly after the pearl is on?

It seems like such a simple thing to make but for some reason I can't decide how to go about it!

Advice gratefully accepted!

[Dennis]

Pearls for earrings are usually drilled half way through and then fitted onto a wire backed by a small cup (domed disk). In the old days it was more of a palaver, but now you can trust two-part epoxy to hold them in place.

Earring posts with cups, or ear-hooks for pearls are readily available, but you can also make them yourself. To drill pearls you can buy a pearl drill bit or use a normal twist drill , lubricated, of about 0.9mm diameter according to the post it is to go on.

The only remaining problem is that some air inevitably gets trapped in the hole, causing the pearl to come off again unless you hold it in place until the adhesive sets. Answer: use rapid setting Epoxy. Dennis.

[medusa]

thanks Dennis, these aren't round though, they are drop shaped, so I'm trying to go for a Vermeer "girl with pearl earring" look. Because the pearls are probably going to be about £100 I was going to get them to drill them through for me. something a bit like these.... http://www.pragnell.co.uk/images/66/...gs-1203083.jpg

[Dennis]

OK. For drop shapes Liz, I would make some sort of deep dome or tulip with a post up the hole of the pearl. Then hang them from a thin stem or very thin bit of gold chain, from an earring post. The post can be embellished with a small flower, a tiny less valuable pearl or a gold ball.

It's not clear how Vermeer's model had it, but it was probably an ear hook.

[medusa]

hmmmm... the stem idea seems like a good one. As a back up in case I don't win the ones I'm after, I'm also watching some half drilled ones. I hope epoxy is strong if I end up with half drilled!

ETA: found some better pics of what I had in mind:
http://www.black.co.uk/product/tahit...rings-1425.cfm

but cause they are pretty big pearls maybe I should go for a dangle type, then maybe I should use something like this:
http://www.cooksongold.com/Findings/...rcode-NNK-113#

I'm not keen on stud posts type earrings.

[Dennis]

Yes Cooksons have 'Continental Ear Fittings with Cup' NNK 115 and NPK120b or c.
I have also scanned in for your interest Fischer's ear hooks, bottom right of scan, but they cost a bomb.

[josef1]

A mechanical way of securing the pearl

A 1/2 hole is cut in the pearl then a 'V' is cut from the post then a wedge is cut to fit in the V when the pearl is pushed on the post it opens up to secure the pearl.

[medusa]

Yes Cooksons have 'Continental Ear Fittings with Cup' NNK 115 and NPK120b or c.
I have also scanned in for your interest Fischer's ear hooks, bottom right of scan, but they cost a bomb.

not too much more pricey than Cookies, is that for a pair or each, I wonder?

A mechanical way of securing the pearl

A 1/2 hole is cut in the pearl then a 'V' is cut from the post then a wedge is cut to fit in the V when the pearl is pushed on the post it opens up to secure the pearl.

ingenious! thank you! Though I'm not sure my piercing skills are up to cutting wedges that tiny!

The pearls are coming up at insaneO'clock tonight. here's hoping.

[Dennis]

not too much more pricey than Cookies, is that for a pair or each, I wonder ?

Each, plus VAT.

[medusa]

figures. still a bit cheaper than cookies. I'd make wires myself, but as they aren't something I do often, I'd rather not mangle the gold.