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Rock Art => Carvings and Sculptures => Topic started by: auscarver on May 21, 2018, 01:23:06 AM

Title: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: auscarver on May 21, 2018, 01:23:06 AM
I recently started carving a jade & rhodonite chain, a big learning curve a chain, I think I have my technique down now, I will join them both to make a bracelet for my wife, my idea is to include chains with my carvings all one piece.
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: Sapphireminer on May 21, 2018, 01:51:23 AM
Awesome work auscarver I find it tough enough making a chain out of silver but what you are doing thats the next level.
Dave
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: auscarver on May 21, 2018, 02:12:16 AM
Thanks Dave, not something I would have attempted 10 years back, we all learn by our mistakes and I broke a few links before I ended up with one, jade is the preferred gem for this but I dought a rhodonite chain has been carved before ?. 
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: hummingbirdstones on May 21, 2018, 06:58:18 AM
That's astounding.  The jade is beautiful, but every time I see that rhodonite of yours, it blows me away.  Can't wait to see the bracelet finished.  It will be gorgeous!
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: southerly on May 25, 2018, 11:57:53 PM
Nice work Michael, a whole new level of tedium.

David
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: ileney on May 26, 2018, 05:30:49 AM
That is wonderful and that rhodonite is crazy beautiful.
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: auscarver on June 02, 2018, 02:26:40 PM
Thanks, more pictures in progress, rhodonite, keeping this in one piece will be challenging, extra care while carving,
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: ileney on June 02, 2018, 06:46:34 PM
This is mind boggling, both the material and the craftsmanship.
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: hummingbirdstones on June 02, 2018, 06:52:42 PM
 :Worthy:

There are no words ....

The amount of patience that must take makes my head hurt.
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: lithicbeads on June 02, 2018, 09:30:00 PM
Beautiful project.I just found that our Washington rhodonite actually has rhodochrosite incorporated in it as well. Any theories why your rough is so amazingly translucent?
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: auscarver on June 03, 2018, 12:39:12 AM
Thanks for the great comments, this is very challenging, very trying, todays effort, all our good translucent rhodonite is close a large granite belt running from south to north from NSW to QLD, all the bright pink and red translucent gem only comes from these deposits, there is rhodonite away from the granite but its a pale pink and always opaque, be good to get a geo to tell us why.
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: ileney on June 03, 2018, 07:56:54 AM
I would love to see what this material looks like before it is cut if you have any examples.
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: Bluetangclan on June 14, 2018, 07:39:55 AM
Wow. I can only imagine how much time each link takes and the utter fear of one fracturing so far along in the process. Those are awesome!
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: auscarver on June 15, 2018, 12:49:23 AM
Thanks for the great comments, another picture after some sanding, this one shows better color, better light, there are so many ways I could finish this with a bracelet- bangle, half rhodonite and half jade, or as is linked to a gold or silver chain, some input would be great, I hope to end up with 7 links, 24 mm long, 14 mm wide, finding crack free rough is challenging for these.
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: Orrum on June 15, 2018, 04:17:58 AM
Amazing, I can't hardly believe it!!!   LOL. Just awesomeness!
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: hummingbirdstones on June 15, 2018, 06:49:03 AM
If it were me, I'd probably find a way to incorporate it into a necklace.  Bracelets take a beating getting whacked against stuff and I'd be scared to death of breaking it.
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: auscarver on June 16, 2018, 04:38:49 AM
Thanks, point taken, I think it will be a necklace, I finished the final link today, very cold here today, I pushed myself to finish this, I prefer to carve in sunlight, no artificial light seems to show enough detail, or I could just be going blind, a big learning curve this, will post again when its finished.
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: Bluetangclan on June 16, 2018, 07:23:39 AM
So how many hours would you say each link took? That looks amazing, even the material is really cool. Looking forward to seeing progress on the jade part.
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: auscarver on August 05, 2018, 12:03:28 AM
Thanks Bluetangclan, i have lost count on the hours, I have not touched this for around 10 days, up to 1200 diamond smoothing today on the 5th link, some of the end links are a bit thin but I think they will stay in one piece.
Title: Re: Rhodonite & jade chains
Post by: ileney on August 07, 2018, 10:20:03 AM
This is just stunning. Were you thinking of setting it with giant blackened silver links as a collar or with just a regular bright polished chain, or gold or ...? I would love to see this finished. It's just spectacular.