First Attempt at Pearls on Chain

[pearlescence]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UQGf...feature=relmfu - cheers
you don't need much but I imagine there are rules about importing gas canisters!
I'd check ebay for solder, flux and pickle

[Bodecia]

Thank you Wendy. The video makes it look easy. Heres hoping.


Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover

[pearlescence]

You will need some way to polish after you have pickled. (that's a sentence you don't get to write too often!)

[pattye]

I am officially in love with these designs. A question to the experts: Do you have any sense as to whether the pearls sliding on the chain could cause damage to the pearl? Is it likely that the chain would wear through the pearl eventually?

In most cases the chains are quite smooth, and the pearl, or pearls are not sliding back and forth all the time. I recall checking once and pearls and 18k gold are about the same "hardness"? But have not had time to verify that today.

What would cause wear, I feel, is someone like me, playing with the jewelry I have on, absentmindedly sliding the pearl back and forth on the chain; that would eventually cause wear!

Sarah, your pearl designs are just gorgeous! LOVE!

[Lulu]

Pattye - the constant fiddling that you describe is exactly what I'm thinking of! I know I'm the type to constantly be playing with the necklace. (For that reason, akoyas are probably not a good match for me!)

[pearl-man]

I am kinda a freak on changing the natural item.

So, not to long ago I was asking about jewelry soldering and got some great responses...and though I probably chose the worst material to start off with...0.8mm wide 18KT gold box chains...I was successful without too much trouble (though I did melt almost an inch of chain on my first soldering attempt).

Anyways, I had a customer request that I create a higher quality version of two necklaces sold by Shecy...and here's what they ended up looking like.

First necklace is 16 inch, 0.8mm wide 18K yellow gold box chain with 5 x 7-7.5mm Akoya pearls and 4 x 3mm 18K yellow gold beads. I used loose grade Akoya's and I did have to drill 1.13mm holes in each in order to thread the chain through them.


Second necklace is also a 16 inch, 0.8mm wide 18K yellow gold box chain with 2 x 7-7.5mm Akoya pearls and 1 x 4mm 18K yellow gold beads. I also had to half drill the Akoya's with 1.13mm holes.



Special thanks to Wendy for the soldering video...it was invaluable. And special thanks to Jeremy for warning me about how difficult drilling Akoya's could be...it prevented me from destroying these little beauties.

[morphius]

holes larger? I sure hope you didn't make the holes larger on such nice pearls. I am kinda a freak on changing the natural item.

Sure did...that's what the customer wanted...even though I agree with you.