Saturday, July 04, 2009

What Have I been up to? DIOPTASE!

Wow.... I didn't realize how long it's been since I blogged.... so many things to share! I have been working on new clay and jewelry like crazy!

I found some dioptase in my stash this week!!! Someone mentioned dioptase and I couldn't resist pulling it out (more like digging it out) and wrapping it up. I've had these pieces for awhile now and finally decided to part with them. It's not fair to keep them hoarded away in my collection forever---they need to be enjoyed!

Dioptase is one of my all time favorites and it has gotten very hard to find nice pieces for jewelry. It can be one of the most challenging gems to wrap, but, once you figure a piece out you are guaranteed a stunning pendant! The crystals are cubic and the crystals themselves or the entire cluster can be thick or awkwardly shaped. The challenge is to wrap the cluster without covering it up with wire or hurting the crystals... and... to set the piece so that it does not roll around or flip over when worn. I often get a piece started and then set it down for awhile to think of the best approach. It is certainly not a stone you can pre-plan... you have to learn as you go!!

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous10:49 PM

    Please, please please make more dioptase pendants! I just came upon your site and was awestruck by how gorgeous yours are. I've been searching for the perfect dioptase pendant for quite a while now!

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