Blue Topaz Pendant on Reticulated Silver - Winter Wonderland - SOLD
Handmade artisan pendant in sterling silver and blue topaz, celebrating ice, snow, and the beauty that winter brings to the landscape! The background is a rectangle of frosty reticulated silver, and the Swiss blue topaz adds to the icy feeling, like the blue sky on a cold winter's day. Blue and silver together are especially pretty at Christmas time, and this sweet little pendant is perfect for those of you who also love this combo.
The necklace measures 1/2" x 3/4" (12 x20mm), with a 4mm Swiss blue topaz and pure brass snowflake. The chain is 17", and closes with a handmade shepherd's hook clasp.
I finish the chains myself, and can make them in any length up to 21" at no extra charge. If you would like a different length than the 17", please let me know in the notes section when you place your order. If you wish to have a longer length than 21" for the chain, I have a listing for additional chain lengths up to 30". Thanks!
***A little bit about the process of reticulation***
The silver used is a special alloy made of 80% pure silver and 20% copper. (normal sterling is 92.5% pure silver). The extra copper helps to make the surface wrinkle more easily. The sheet is heated and held at a dull red color for a minute or two, then quenched. It is then put into a "pickle" (acid) bath to remove the surface oxidation caused by the flame. This leaves a thin layer of pure silver, which is then burnished with a brass brush. This process is repeated until no oxidation forms on the surface any more when heated, usually about 6-8 times. The resulting sheet is then heated one final time to just below the melting point. The fine silver at the surface melts at a different temperature than the copper/silver alloy at the core, resulting in the unique texture. The process is fun and unpredictable, so each piece is one of a kind!