What's on my bench now?

After a busy Holiday season, I was expecting a slow down. But to my surprise, I've been pretty busy! No complaint at all, I'm counting my blessing everyday :)

Just a quick update on what I'm working on. I love how my Herkimer Diamond prong set earrings turned out, so I decided to give other rough gemstones a try. Here is a pair of green garnet earrings:


I want to make rings with rough gemstones as well! Just need to find the right setting for them. Simple prong settings might not be sturdy enough for rings since rings are prone to wear and tear, push and pull.

Also want to share a new discovery with you:


Isn't it gorgeous!!!? This is rutilated quartz with Amethyst. I googled online and find out it belongs to the Super Seven family, also called Melody stone. I'm totally in love with it! A simple pendant might best showcase it :)

First try at prong setting

I'd been anxious to try prong setting, so I gave it a swing today. I made a very simple 4-prong setting in silver, found a matching pair of Herkimer diamonds and here is how it went.

1) I curved the prongs with a pair of pliers then measured the required height. Cut the extra wire. The cross looking wire at the back behind the Herkimer diamond is how the setting look like before curving and cutting.

2) I rounded the prongs with a wire rounder (got it from Jo-Ann), or you can use a Dremel with a cup bur. I don't have a cup bur, it is on my shopping list.

3) Setting the prongs with a bezel pusher. It usually goes like this: 12 o'clock, then 6 o'clock, then 3 and 9. Go slowly and gently so the stone won't slide into one side and you've to pull the prong back.

4) Make sure the stone isn't swimming inside the prongs. Then polish.

Viola! My first pair of prong setting earrings :-) Next time I should try a ring, a prong setting with seat, tube setting, or all of them!?

My latest obsession - Herkimer Diamonds!

I saw them at a Gem Faire this Fall and am in love! They're actually quartz mined originally in the Herkimer County, NY, but their special structure makes them sparkle like the real diamonds under the sunlight!

They are known to have the magical power of reduce stress, balance and cleanse energy between the mind and body. Better than alcohol :) Just kidding! I enjoy a glass of wine from time to time as well. I'm in the process of making some simple and modern stud earrings with them. Hopefully will have the listing up sometime next week.