The Now & Again Project: rose quartz pendant

[lovely.psycho]

"The beginning is the end and it keeps coming round again"
- The Loop Closes (How To Destroy Angels)

I've decided to start a new jewellery series Basically, the gist is this: I take something I made years ago (an idea, a concept, a design or an actual tangible item) and re-make, re-interpret and re-imagine it using new materials, new skills and new perspectives. Welcome to my Now & Again Project ;D

The first design subject to this treatment is a rose quartz pendant I made about 6 years ago, when I was just getting started in wire wrapping. The original pendant had a backstory of its own: I don't like pink and I decided to challenge this mode of thinking by making myself a rose quartz pendant. At the time, it was the most ambitious pendant I'd made.

The original was made with a rose quartz oval bead, white jade rounds, store-bought clasp and chain, and silver plated wire*:



I've been growing steadily unhappy with it over the years - the workmanship (see all the awkward wraps, and WTH is going on at the top there?), the wire that wore itself down to copper in places, the fact that the two guide wires on the back didn't hold the stone in place and it tended to swivel slightly off kilter sometimes, the chain that never seemed to gel with the pendant - to the point where I don't even really wear it anymore

That was then...

... this is what happened to it on the weekend:



And this is what she looks like now!



Copper wire (torched), rose quartz oval bead (the same rose quartz bead from the original pendant!) and two sizes of garnet rounds. No reverse-side guide wires (replaced by a single "spine" of tiny garnet rounds running up the centre of the bead). I replaced the awkward non-bail with an actual bail (woven) and terminated the swirls with triple garnets to balance out the swirl at the bottom (I do a lot of yoga so I tend to view things in factors of 3 or 5 ;D ). I haven't oxidized it yet, but I'm thinking yes on that.

I used copper because, quite frankly, I've run out of sterling silver ;D But then I realised that the copper gave it a kind of warmth that I felt the pendant didn't have before, which, if the metaphysical properties of rose quartz list it as a stone of love, is kinda fitting Like love, I'm not blind to its faults - there are mistakes, I know, but on the whole, it's ok

So this is the Then & Now project! I have several more planned; pendants, earrings, rings... I'm excited

Sorry for the wall-of-text! If you made it this far, thank you for reading


* maybe it's just Australian silver-plated wire, but is it even possible to work with that stuff? The silver coating always wears off to copper. Maybe it just hates me!

[Michele]

What a beautiful transformation. It was pretty before, but it has a WOW factor now. Great job of repurposing the rose quartz.

The copper does add warmth to your design.

[Sophy]

I like the original, but I agree that the remake does make it pop. I especially like the swirl you added on top of the cab.

As for silver-plated wire, have you looked into silver-filled wire? The covering is much thicker than with silver-plated, but it's not as expensive as sterling. I haven't tried it myself, but I understand you can even solder with the silver-filled.

[Sophy]

Forgot to say, I love the idea of the Now and Again Project.

[Irith-Rita]

I read it all. The copper with the Rose quartz and garnets go well together. Also - you torched the sharp ends of the wire so it adds a nice finish to it.

[gbobmi]

Oh! It's beautiful, both before and after. I do love the after, though. The copper really enhances the stone.

[rocknwow]

It's so much fun to watch someone else go through the "process". Having gone through many of these, i.e. "Did I Make the Right Decision" it can be both frustrating and rewarding.

I love both designs. I would've just corrected the technical flaws in the first because that was gorgeous. Chain didn't bug me until you mentioned it; then yes it was annoying.

I love copper, mixed about it here. Actually there is so many mixed feelings that I'd be writing another 'wall of text' my self. The torched ends are awesome.

Bottom line is you got the job done and you shared, thanks so much.

[Loki]

Wow! I really like how the copper looks with the rose quartz.

[caeterle]

I think it was lovely before and is gorgeous now. I love the copper with the rose quartz, actually it's a combination I liked before and used myself once. The garnets are the perfect cherry on top!

[lovely.psycho]

Thanks, peeps

The original pendant was a little sweetheart The main driving force in the destruction was the use of silver-plated wire - it went green in some places and stripped down to copper in others. It... wasn't great

But she did inspire new creativity, and for that I'm grateful. It was quite sad cutting that first wire, tho'!

edit:

Oct 29, 2013 10:27:12 GMT -6 Sophy said:

As for silver-plated wire, have you looked into silver-filled wire? The covering is much thicker than with silver-plated, but it's not as expensive as sterling. I haven't tried it myself, but I understand you can even solder with the silver-filled.

hmmm, interesting. I haven't actually worked with that. Thanks for the heads-up

[DawninCal]

It was pretty before and it is stunning now! I love seeing how your skills and creativity have progressed in the six years since you made the original.

I work almost exclusively with copper because I love it's warm tones and I think that if you were to oxidize it, the results would be amazing. Edit to add that if you are considering oxidizing it, test a small area of the back of the stone first - some stones absorb LOS and change color/lose their luster.

Great job and I love the idea of your "Now & Again" project.



Dawn

[koolbraider]

Copper looks beautiful with pink and red. You made a perfect decision in such a radical change. (This is a jewelry maker's nightmare: pieces that come apart.)