Crazy Lace Agate

Turquoise and Silver pendant

Sterling Silver Wire and Smoky Quartz pendant

Soldering Tips: Use of a graphite pencil in pick soldering

I got this from this article: http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/200112/msg00051.htm

Another tip is to use a pencil for a solder pick. I learned
this trick from Belgian master goldsmith Evert de Graeve, when
he taught the Advanced Goldsmithing class at the Revere
Academy in 1986. Shave back the wood of the pencil leaving
only the graphite, about an inch and a half long. A hard
pencil is preferable. When you heat the solder snippets touch
one with the pencil tip just as the solder melts and it will
stick to the tip. Place the snippet (now a sphere) on your
fluxed piece where you wish it to be, and it will stick there.
The difference between this and a metal solder pick is that
the solder can not melt onto the graphite pencil tip, it is
only suspended there until it is touched to another surface.
It requires a bit of practice and patience to perfect the use
of the pencil soldering pick but it is a very useful tool. The
solder sphere has to be picked up by the graphite just as it
goes molten, or else it won't adhere to the tip. Using this
technique you won't have the trouble which often plagues
beginners, of getting the soldering pick itself welded to the
item being soldered. The wood of the pencil might burn a bit if
it isn't shaved back far enough, and the graphite will brake
if it is dropped, but I haven't had a metal solder pick in my
studio during the 15 years since taking Evert's class. I
promptly discarded them all when I got back to my bench.

Happy soldering to all,
Michael David Sturlin, jewelry artist msturlin AT qwest.net
http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/sturlin.htm
http://www.ganoksin.com/ftp/meet-michael.jpg
Michael Sturlin Studio, Scottsdale Arizona USA

Soldering tips: How to solder jumprings perfectly

I got this from this article online: http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/200112/msg00051.htm

To make soldering jump rings easier you might try this technique: roll out a narrow strip of solder in the rolling mill or cut and pound a strip of solder very thin. Cut the strip into small snippets. Insert the appropriate size snippet into the seam of the jump ring using tweezers or pliers, (it should be thin enough to not force the join open). Heat the joint until the solder flows. It makes a perfect seam every time, as the solder cannot jump to one side and flow away from the seam. This isn't practical for soldering dozens or hundreds of jump rings at a time, but if you need to control exactly where your solder flows this is a handy alternative to using a solder pick.

Egyptian coil necklace sold!

Ruchi's friend Tyger bough the Copper Egyptian Coil necklace on Saturday :-). That brings the Etsy count to 12.

2 more wire wrapped pendants, one in yellow gold, and the other in rose gold

I've made many more wire wrapped pendants, but haven't taken pictures of them all. Here are two of them. One in yellow gold and the other in rose gold.

How to clean wire wrapped jewelry that has pearls and opals

This is what I read online:

However, if the wire wrapped jewelry piece contains opal or pearl, you need to take special care if you use silver polish on your piece. "Jewel Brite" jewelry cleaner is a safe cleaner for both pearls and opals and does a marvelous job restoring the beauty of your wire wrapped jewelry. This product is available for purchase at Rapt Elegance.
Visit Rapt Elegance at www.raptelegance.com

Here is the manufacturer: http://www.jewelbrite.com/

Commissioned piece: Black Onyx pendant

This is a custom order pendant. The smallest cabochon I have ever worked on. I'd normally use this size for rings. But she wanted a very small pendant. I wasn't sure how this would look. However, when I finshed it, it looked awesome!! Very elegant, sophisticated. I think part of the sophistication came from it being that rich black. The photos didn't turn out good. I don't know why.

So this piece brings up the Etsy count to 11.

Unakite and gold ring

Some more pendants: Smoky Quartz, Citrine, silver and gold

This one is made with an 8+ carat oval Citrine and a 6 mm round Citrine, gold filled wire and fresh water pearls.

And this is made in sterling silver wire and a huge Smoky Quartz....hmmm..I forrgot how many carats. I just know its huge. But the peachy pearls are not going with it so I'll change them to white pearls.

Ujjwal's first hair cut

I know, this is my jewelry blog, but my baby is the most precious of all jewels and gems! So I must record some important things about him here. He had his first hair cut day before yeserday....10th October 2007. Sirf samney ki zulfey thodi kaat di mainey so that it doesn't come in front of his eyes. I didn't touch his angelic curls behind his head. :-D

Botonica's comment

I just loved "mysterious" Botonica's comment...the way she wrote what she had to write, so I will cut and paste it here. She is hereby commissioned to make my brochure!

how does swati twist mundane wires of gold,into earrings, broaches, and pendants
that hold...earth's treasures that come in brilliant hues..of
greens,lavender,pinks and blues?she brings healing and joy with her artfully
crafted stones,i can already predict eager buyers in drones,before the beautiful
peices went out of sight,i claimed my azure pendant of amazonite!!

Hematite necklace for Diana

I made this necklace for Diana because she had wanted a Hematite necklace for health reasons. So instead of making her a chain style, I decided to add a pendant too.

This necklace took me more than half a day to make. It has 6mm Henatite beads interspaced with tiny fresh water pearls. The clasp is made of 14 gauge sterling silver wire.

The pendant is made of a 25mm x 18mm Hematite cabochon and 22 gauge anti-tarnish square sterling silver wire.

My jewelry got featured in Beadage magazine

I had submitted this pendant there without a proper proof reading, and the pendant got accepted for their gallery...which is all great, except that the darned write-up is full of typos. LOL! Like Swami said, "It could have been written better". hahahahaha! Anyhooo....I am quite happy that my jewelry is featured in a jewelry magazine...as opposed to a shoe magazine...ok shut up Swati...its late, you are tired and sleepy.

Here is the link: http://www.beadage.net/gallery-maharanis-pendant.html

Yummy-lee-cious Carnelian!!

I fell in love with this GORGEOUS Carnelian cabochon! 40mm x 30mm and the most DELICIOUS color!! Turned it into a pendant today with the help of Sterling Silver wire. Here is is....

2 new pendants and a ring: Blue Topaz, White Topaz & Mystic Topaz

This Mystic Topaz ring is a commissioned piece made for a new mum-to-be who said something really sweet...that Mystic Topaz reminds her of her yet-to-be-born baby:

Made these two wire sculpted pendants (gold-filled wire). These are big pieces, and very royal to look at :-).

This pendant is made of a huge 18mm x 13mm White Topaz with an 8 mm Amethyst and fresh water pearls:

This one below is an 11 carat Blue Topaz with an 8mm Blue Topaz, and fresh water pearls: