Walking the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire with someone I care for... seeing the people and the sights. It was an enjoyable day full of moments worth remembering. Hand in hand, walking along in peace and happiness, my eyes came across a small white stone on the path. Only a piece of common quartz, but it's clear white hue set it aside from the rocks around it. I picked up the stone and handed it to her... sharing even that small bit of treasure. We commented on it's uniqueness, matching that of the day..... and I quietly slipped it into my pocket.Days... weeks later..... I have some time to work at the jewelers bench. Amongst the projects waiting... the small piece of white quartz. My intention was to make her a pendant to wear; something to recall a good day with.
I shaped the stone on a diamond lap, taking the backside flat and rounding the front while softening the edges. Moving from rough polish through the stages all the way to a 3000 grit water wheel, the stone took shape and texture in my hands.
To mount it, a silver spoon gave up it's sculpted shank. To this I silver soldered three tines from a silver fork. Annealing the hard silver tines, they gave way to pressure and were wrapped around the stone like loving arms, in a free form style.
File, polish, shape again, polish again..... and a bath in the ultrasonic cleaner to clear away the jewelers rouge. In the end, what you see above. A stone from the days path, shaped and mounted for a woman to wear each day as a remembrance of happiness.
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