When I moved to Miami to go to graduate school, I wasn't sure I was going to have the time to do much crafting. Then I realized that the part of Miami I'm in is anti-non-drivers, and so I spend a lot of time in my room (also, it's hot). So, I had my jewelry making tools sent down, along with a rotary tool my dentist grandfather gave me that cuts, grinds and shines metal. Here are the results (and from only three days worth of work!) [Update: new piece at the end of the post {Update to the update: another new set of earrings in the post}]
First are two more unisex pieces, starting with a larger ring than my previous one:
I call it "Grinding Gears". The base for the ring is actually an old one of mine that said b*tch (no asterisk, though) from a cheap jewelry store. I roughed it up a bit with the grinding tool and found this pinkish nickle under the layer of silver toned metal. I then shined up the areas I distressed to get the streaked look. I then set some watch movement parts and gears into the front of the ring.
And the second is a necklace:
The base is a gold tone key that I wrapped some florist's wire around along with a spring-type bracelet I had. The bracelet needed to be glued down at several points along the back, but actually stayed in place well. The head of the key has overlapping watch movement sections. I thought the top one had some lovely engraving on it. Some gears were set into the lower one. Then I put a couple smaller parts on the business end of the key. I thought it came out less feminine than most other things I make, so I put it on a thicker chain, and called it "Contrivance Key" since it looks like the key to some steam punk-y gadget.
This one might also fall into a more unisex category:
This is the backing to a large pocket watch that had some remaining gears and such still attached. I added a few more and also placed this pendulum pendant to the front to add a bit of glam. It also was the part that most easily connected to a chain. I called this one "Glinting Clockwork", due to the cubic zirconia.
Next is another locket, this time with detail only on the front and the inside empty for pictures:
This one, "Serrated Seconds", is made on a small locket that I bought at Michael's in a three pack. The front has some sort of sharp gear, another, more normal gear on top, two watch hands, and some other watch parts. I really like the contrast of the sharp edges of the largest gear and the swirly edging on the locket itself.
The last three pieces are much more delicate and feminine than most of my other stuff, starting with this bracelet:
This charm bracelet, Memor Vicis Obduco (Remember Time Passes) is made on what I think used to be a pearl necklace that I cannibalized for a previous piece and is now the perfect size for a bracelet. The charms consist of two watch faces (one rectangular, one rounded square), two watch movements (one with pinkish gems intact), two small clock or watch hands, one gold tone nut and one gold tone gear. It makes this really nice jingling sound when it moves.
Lastly but not leastly is this heart pendant:
Some of the gems on this pendant were missing on the upper right so, in an exercise of extreme self torture, I decided to try to fill them in with teeny tiny gears. I also used some slightly larger ones to cover a couple of other missing ones. I think this one came out pretty great, and was worth the eye and back strain, not to mention the stress of finding these tiny gears when they slipped off the heart while in the planning stage.
This is a new set of post earrings I just made, and they also came out very feminine and delicate, and would probably go really well with the heart necklace and a nice black evening gown:
These are made from some dangle post earrings I had hanging around and some small second hands. The second hands used to have a blue shiny paint on them, but I buffed that away. They were pretty simple to construct, but came out very glamorous.
New set of clip on earrings I just made:
These "Winding Time Gearrings" were made from some antique clock hands that had rusty gold paint on them. The gold paint buffed off to this nice silver shine, and I thought the gears should be buffed too. The hands are held onto the gears with hoops of pocket watches. These aren't as antique looking as most steam punk jewelry, but I think the shine makes them unique. I decided to make a pair of clip-ons because I've had a couple of girls wish that my earrings were possible to wear without piercings, and so these came about.
I hope you enjoyed looking at my work, and there is more to come! C&C always welcome.
