Onyx Moon Pendant Project
Ever since I published my first pendant project in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine, I had been looking to publish another project. I got my wish with the March/April issue of the magazine.
While you can get the full instructions in the magazine, here’s a quick intro to the project.
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Early last year I cut an oval shape of silver for the back of a pendant that turned out to be too small to use. That’s the day I learned it’s better to cut a backplate after soldering the bezel wire to the back.
As to the incorrectly sized back, I immediately threw it into the scrap pile. A few weeks later, I cut another oval shape for a ring project out of this large piece. The result was, an organic moon-shape that inspired me. This isn’t something I would have designed on my own. I am of the opinion that happy mistakes like this are serendipitous and should be utilized.
I paired my crescent moon with a teardrop-shaped faceted onyx gemstone. And, as I played with the orientation, I realized that setting the onyx gemstone with the tip down felt unexpected, and right.
The first project I crafted for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine was less than perfect. For this project, I was hyper-focused on making sure that everything went smoothly. I even had a one-on-one afternoon filled with soldering tips from Lexi Erickson to help me with my technique. And sure enough, it all came easily until I went to set the stone. I didn’t account for the way the bezel would curve around the tip of the stone and as it turned out it was a bit tall in this area. The next time I use a teardrop stone, I’ll remember this moment so I don’t have the same buckling issue.
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I hope you enjoyed this excerpt of my Onyx Moon pendant project. For full project steps and directions, purchase the 2021 March/April issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine. And if you like handmade metal jewelry, the necklace is currently available and for sale. Contact me today to learn more and snag it for yourself.