This stunning necklace features a one of a kind (OOAK) handmade fine silver pendant on a multistrand necklace of seed beads and fire agate beads. Because it has the colors of the desert, it has a Southwest look and feel. The main feature of DESERT RAIN is the silver pendant. There is a beautifully detailed floral texture on the back, which at the top rolls over to make the textured bail. Below the bail, the pendant is in the shape of a large drop. The front of it is mostly smooth except for the center portion, which has the same floral pattern. Because it is shaped like a drop, and the silver shines like rain, I named this necklace DESERT RAIN.
Desert Rain will be a great addition to your jewelry collection. This award-winning necklace is one of those pieces that will turn heads. It took 2nd place in Professional Crafts at the Kosciusko County Fair (2nd to my Honeycomb necklace). The judges' comments were "Beautifully done" and "excellent beadwork".
I made the pendant using metal clay and cut it out in a free-hand design. As a result, it is not exactly symmetrical, but totally unique. In the center, I laid the smaller, textured oval on top of the larger smooth drop-shaped layer. Also for interest, I make some marks in the lower, larger layer. They are also slightly asymmetrical.
After making it, I had the pendant for a while but decided I needed to make it into a larger piece. When I paired it up with the seed beads I knew instantly I had the right combination. The blue seed beads are about the color of denim lapis, with slight variations in the color. A few of them almost look brown. I added five strands, which is the most I can fit through the bail. To add a little variety and break up the blue a little, I added some faceted fire agates that vary in color from brown to blue-green. I also added a few Bali style sterling silver spacer beads, to match the silver of the pendant.
I finished it off with sterling silver cones that have a nice texture on them, and a two-inch sterling extender chain with a little heart on the end. Because of the cones and the extender chain, in order to keep it easy to fasten, I used a simple sterling lobster claw clasp.
Metal clay is made from microscopic bits of metal (in this case silver) mixed with an organic binder. After making the piece, I fire it in the kiln at very high temperatures. Hot enough that only the metal can withstand the heat. Everything else burns away. The pendant shrinks up, but what is left is solid metal!
Fine silver is 99.9% silver as opposed to sterling silver, which is 92.5% silver.
I normally sign the back of my pendants, but in this case, it was just too beautiful on the back to mess it up! You could actually wear this necklace in reverse!
Important Facts:
Length 18 1/2" plus 2" extender (46.25 - 51.25 cm)
Pendant Size: 1 1/8" wide x 1 3/4" long (28 x 44 mm)
Ships in a gift box
Shanghai Tai LLC
Unique Artisan Jewelry
Handmade in USA
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