Jewelry for a local Art Show

[Isotelus]

Here are a few finished up for a local show here in Ohio. All are in Argentium Silver.

[mirkaba]

Nice job Brian. I always have a little concern hanging my pendants. I like to purchase nicer sterling chains but the cost adds up. I make sterling hook and clasp ends for the leather cord like you have pictured. If I buy the ends it seems the price is high enough that I might as well buy pre-made cords with the clasps on or even sterling chain. I ended up buying a bunch of inexpensive pre-made leather cords with adjustable chain ends to basically give away with the pendants. I set up a few with the nicer chains and leather cords and sell pendants, chains and cords separately. Its funny how many people like the free cord idea. Also a lot of people have chains at home and just want the pendant. As a side note: I just got an order for 20 pendants from a gift store. The buyer wanted to keep the price down and was perfectly happy with the cheaper bulk neck cords. I could not have made the order using the higher quality chains and cords. Good luck at the show...............Bob

[Kaljaia]

Beautiful pendants! The silver and stone is well balanced visually; those would definitely make me stop and drool at a show. I've found some pendants of cab size tend to be too heavy for the often fine silver chains, and the leather cord seems to take the weight better and sit more comfortably, as well as provide another color/texture contrast. I would wear leather cord with a silver cab.

[Isotelus]

Yeah Bob I have to say I share some of the same concerns you voiced. My choice on the leather cords was to go with a premade cord with end caps and a lobster catch.Chain does add a lot to the price so I only do a couple with a simple but solid cable link chain for those looking for chain. Former chain was all handmade by me simply to stay totally handmade, but the hours involved often placed the chain out of reach of many. I still build a few for a handmade chain following I have, maybe moving 6 to 10 units of complex chain per year.

My nod to the handmade on the pendants is I still hand draw the oval cross section wire for the heavy jump rings at the top of the pendants. It allows me control over what ever size chain or cord I want with them. The step bezel is a custom extrusion. The cabs are completely hand cut finished front and back

Kaljaia thanks for the impartial eye on the size shape relationship and yes I do watch the weight on the stones- to me part of the fit and feel overall. I have always used a pretty solid weight chain just to keep the quality up on the finer pieces.

Thanks for the commentary it is appreciated by us that work in the middle of no where.

[orrum]

Ver nice and cool shapes!

[Helene]

I prefer cording to chain also.  Chain always looks manufactured to me and takes away from the hand-made quality of the piece.  Instead of end caps I use  a 1mm leather cord to make an ending slide knot.  No way that will ever come loose.