Pearl in Wire Pendant

by Rena Klingenberg
(Making Jewelry Now)

Baroque Pearl and Sterling Silver Pendant

I created the framework of this pendant from a single piece of 14-gauge soft sterling silver wire. I started with the bail, and used only heavy-duty round nose pliers and my fingers to make a double-loop bail, and then a series of freeform loops and swirls to create a frame.

A piece of 24-gauge round, half-hard, sterling silver wire was just the right size to wire-wrap the baroque peach pearl into the frame.

A black faceted glass bead dangles from the bottom.

When I started making this pendant, I really had no idea how it would turn out! It was just an experiment to see what I could do with that gauge of wire.

I discovered that the 14-gauge wire made my fingers really sore to shape it like this, but I like the results.

I've made a couple of other pendants in a similar style, but this one is my favorite!

Rena Klingenberg
Making Jewelry Now

Comments for
Pearl in Wire Pendant

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Beautiful design!
by: Ann Nolen

Rena,
I can see why this one is your favorite! You must have some well developed finger muscles to wrap with 14 gauge wire... probably a good idea to warn people to not start out with that if they are new to wire wrapping. I am not even sure an intermediate level person can do that thick of wire with fingers and 1 nose plier.
When I was learning wire wrap a few years back, I remember I started with 20 gauge wire so it still has some substance to it, but wasn't so hard on the fingers. I felt like a beginning athlete, building those muscles!

Ann
www.animalcoin.com

Pearl in Wire Pendant
by: Dita

Just awesome.

Thank you, ladies!
by: Rena

I appreciate your kind feedback!

You're right, my fingers were totally fried afterward! But I have to say it's probably the sturdiest pendant I've ever made. :o)

I couldn't bring myself to sell this one, after the hard labor to shape the wire by hand, and I've always been glad that I kept it.

If I were to make another one, I'd probably aim for no heavier than 16 gauge wire.