Advanced Metalsmithing: Swinging Rocks Mini Geode Necklace by Erica Stice

Advanced metalsmithing: create a necklace with three small geodes that move freely inside a silver frame

By Erica Stice

Three geodes (baby and tabasco) hang from a large sterling silver pattern and round wire frame. The piece features eight 4mm black agates set in tube bezels, and the entire frame drops from a wide sterling silver choker. Experiment with setting geodes in this pattern wire frame pendant. The geodes swing loose while the frame stays secure on the thick choker necklace.

Skills

Designing, sawing, soldering, filing, drilling, and finishing

Materials:

• 8 4mm black agates
• 2-1/2″ baby geodes
• 3/4″ tabasco geode
• 8 4mm sterling silver bezel cups
• 12 gauge round sterling silver wire (7.25″)
• 18 gauge round sterling silver wire (11.75″)
• 4.3mm 14 gauge sterling silver angle wire neck collar
• 4mm 15 gauge sterling silver hammered pattern wire (6.75″)

Tools:

General

Fine tip permanent marker; pencil; ruler; flux; hard, medium, and soft solder

Hand

Sheet shears, wire cutters, bench block, bench pin, jeweler’s saw with 2/ 0 saw blade, flex shaft or Dremel, center punch, drill press with 1.2 and 2.7mm bits, round nose pliers, flat nose pliers, sandpaper assortment, 4mm bezel setting tool

Fabrication

Rawhide hammer

Soldering

Acetylene/air torch, soldering pick, copper tongs, crock pot with pickle, water, soldering board

Finishing

3M radial bristle disks, crock pot with liver of sulfur, brass brush

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ERICA STICE is the studio coordinator at Halstead in Prescott, AZ. She’s addicted to the flame of the torch and is always looking for excuses to solder. Forging is her second-favorite technique.

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