Thursday, December 03, 2009

Inspiration: Grandma's Necklace and Artbeads' Cubic Zirconia


Going through my Grandmother's jewelry many years ago and trying to decide what I wanted to keep, I selected a classic design made with cable chain and crystals. I blogged about her necklace before focusing on the staple setting for each crystal.

It's a simple necklace, cable chain, spring clasp and crystals. Looks to me as if the chain and settings for the crystals were plated or maybe gilded but I can't tell for sure. It's very small too, 14 and 1/2 inches, made for a very young woman I assume. My maternal grandmother was married at age 14 and I imagine she could have worn a small necklace.

After drooling over the Cubic Zirconia Beads from Artbeads, I realized the crystals in Grandma's necklace were similar. Using her necklace as inspiration, I designed an edgey, modern version of the necklace for the bleeding heart.

I chose the 6mm connectors in black and garnet.




I used cable chain like my grandmother's but smaller and in sterling silver. I alternated the red and black cubic zirconias and faced the pointed side of the stones outwards giving the necklace an edgey, spikey feel. To soften the edgeyness a bit, I added four vintage stylized red hearts to the end of the string of cubic zirconias.





Both necklace styles show off how versatile cubic zirconias are, they can be classic or combined into an edgey look. Viva la Cubic Zirconia!

Disclosure of Material Connection

5 comments:

mairedodd said...

cindy, your necklace is beautiful! i really love the way you combine red & black... sadly, because i was working on submissions for a show, i did not get my abs nov in on time... but i think i am going to make it anyway! the through the looking glass beads were for that... and i cannot shake the design from my head... it wants to be born i guess! :0)

TesoriTrovati said...

Brilliant design and inspiration! Check back at Treasures Found blog next week for a challenge and contest that this would fit right in with! Mum's the word until Monday! (Or come see what we are being inspired by this week.)
Enjoy the day!
Erin

Jennifer Cameron said...

That is a really cool design and I adore how you turned the links with the points out. Awesome!

Jennifer Cameron said...

I adore this design and how you turned the CZ links "backwards" with spikes facing out. Very cool!

Seaexplore said...

This is GORGEOUS! Well done. Mind if I borrow the inspiration? :)