Unique Stone Setting: Picture in a Frame Agate Pendant

Create a silver frame stone setting for an agate pendant

This easy-to-make piece features a slice of agate surrounded by an oxidized pattern wire frame stone setting that is hanging from a Korean-style finished necklace. Experiment with stone settings by creating a frame and making prongs to hold slices and other similar, flat stones.

Skills

Sawing, soldering, stone setting, filing, and finishing

Materials

• 1.25 x 2.5-inch agate slice
• 18 gauge sterling silver round wire (1.5″)
• 2 6×13.2mm sterling silver tube bails
• 3mm 18 gauge sterling silver flat wire (1.25″)
• 4mm 15 gauge sterling silver hammered pattern wire (11″)
• 18″ 1.9mm oxidized Korean-style finished necklace with lobster claw clasp

Tools

General

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

Hand

Sheet shears, bench pin, jeweler’s saw with 2/ 0 saw blade, flex shaft or Dremel, triangle needle file, flat nose pliers, sandpaper assortment

Soldering

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

Finishing

3M radial bristle disks, crock pot with liver of sulfur, polishing pad, tumbler with steel shot

See inside the September/October issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist in our Lookbook!

ERICA STICE is the former 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.

Learn more about this project and many others in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist!