Create the Stone
Begin with either rough or slabbed
serpentine chrysotile, AKA Silver Eye.
Mark the slab either with the gem-
stone template shape of your choice
or freehand. Here I started out with a
thick slab. It was 9mm thick, and I cut
a triangular or pyramid shaped cab.
SAFETY NOTE: You must wear a
respirator type mask, one that collects
all particulates, like the ones used
for painting. Breathing dust from
this stone can be hazardous to your
MATERIALS
Serpentine chrysotile AKA Silver
Eye
Sterling silver sheet 20 gauge
Silver hard solder
Rhodochrosite Ortiz (if you are
lucky enough to fi nd some; use
non-banded if you need it)
Sterling square wire, 1.5 x 1.5mm
about 10"
Sterling wire, 3mm x 14 gauge
x enough for circumference of
rhodochrosite
14 gauge 6mm x ½"TOOLS
LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT: Genie
grinding unit or other, trim saw
(large enough for your rough
or slab), cerium oxide polishing
compound, rough leather end
lap, gemstone templates of your
choice
CRITICAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT:
Respirator particulate mask
HAND AND FABRICATION:
Ultrafi ne Sharpie marker, basic
bench tools
SOLDERING: Torch and tanksSOURCES
Most of the tools and materials
for this project are available from
well-stocked jewelry supply
vendors, many of whom can be
found in our Advertisers’ Index,
page 71.SOMETHING NEW and diff erent; that's what I wanted. My
bench was littered with started projects and I felt a bit lost. I started to sketch
in my favorite way. I can’t even draw stick fi gures, but that doesn’t matter with
this method, which I teach to my students.
Sketch a design you love. It doesn’t have to be your design. Now res-ketch it, but change it by 10-20%. Put it down for at least 24 hours; I like
to take a week before I pick a sketch back up again. Then take the newest
sketch and resketch that one and again change by 10-20%. Keep this up
for at least 10 sketches, and you will fi nd that you just designed something
completely diff erent than you ever imagined.
This pendant is what I came up with. I like the minimal design, butmostly I love the color combination. Rhodochrosite is my all-time favorite
stone.
12
HOW TO BUY
STONESGet John’s advice on buying
your stones in his on-
demand web seminar:“Effectively Buying
Gemstones and Identifying
Obstacles”Available at http://www.
interweavestore.com.health!
Photo 1 Cut the slab using a trim saw
to the shape of your cab. Trim up
close to but not into the drawn line. I
used a straight edge and made a tri-
angular shape that has the chrysotile
pattern on an angle that was pleasing
to me. My stone is going to be fi nished
to approximately 3.5" x ¾" and is still
thick but tapered to the top.
Photo 2 Grind to the line with the 180
wheel. This stone is soft, so it will cut
just fi ne on this wheel.January/February 2016^21