Hearts in Stone, lapidary art Options

[dickb]

Hi Mrs CP:

Have you done anything with the blue heart in post 21?

I'm thinking of giving it to my wife as a gift and would like it to have a gold hoop that it can be hung on a gold chain.

What is the possibility of that being done. I think it needs to be kept uncovered by a wire wrap to allow the detail of the stone to show.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks a lot.

dickb

http://www.coloradoprospector.com/forums/i...ost&id=4183

[Denise]

Hi dickb, and welcome to the CP forums. Make yourself right at home here, its a great community.

It is a stunning Australian Boulder Opal heart, and all I have done with it since that picture was posted is admire it.

I would love for your wife to have it! Dan can definately drill and set it in gold the way you described also. I will send you a pm soon with more details. I'm sure we can work something out.

[Denise]

This is the stone that Dick was refering too now with his setting design. The chain is just to show how it looks with one on it, but I think it turned out fantastic!! The little loop attaching to the jump ring (not soldered together) almost looks like a little heart to me.

What do you think Dick? Hopefully its exactly what you imagined it would look like.
Dan and I wish you both a very happy 43 anniversary with many more wonderful memories together to come!
Hopefully she loves it just as much as I do!!


Picture with flash



Picture without flash

[dickb]

Yes, I think it turned out extremely nice.

The jump ring works real well, because it gives the heart enough clearance from the chain that it looks like the heart is just placed there all by itself. When you look at it, the chain doesn't pull your eye away from the heart and distract from it's beauty.

I am really looking forward to seeing it in person, because I'm sure that the picture doesn't have the ability to show it's true beauty.

I have not seen a piece that stands out the way that heart does. I was looking for something that was unique and I sure think I found what I was looking for. You both did a masterful job making this heart, and I know that my wife will love it and cherish it as a special gift.

Thanks more than words can say.

Dickb

This is the stone that Dick was refering too now with his setting design. The chain is just to show how it looks with one on it, but I think it turned out fantastic!! The little loop attaching to the jump ring (not soldered together) almost looks like a little heart to me.

What do you think Dick? Hopefully its exactly what you imagined it would look like.
Dan and I wish you both a very happy 43 anniversary with many more wonderful memories together to come!
Hopefully she loves it just as much as I do!!


Picture with flash



Picture without flash

[Denise]

Thank you very much for the kind compliments Dick! It was our pleasure working with you.
It sure is an amazing stone! The colors roll through it like clouds in the sky.

[swizz]

WoW!
You guys outdid yourselves on this one.

[dickb]

Hi Mrs CP & CP:

Well it arrived late today and was very pleased when I looked at it. I'm sure that it will make a very memorable gift.
I'm like you, I can't decide which side I like best. It will be interesting to see what Ma picks when she wears it.
The picture really doesn't give a true image of the depth of the color or many different looks from different angles.

All in all it really turned out great and I thank you for your efforts. I guess that it was worth the wait. HAHA By the way how many million years did it take?
DickB

[Denise]

Dan and I both wish you both a very Happy Anniversary today Dick. We hope the day has been the best!

[dickb]

Hi Mrs CP and CP:

Thank you for your kind words. We had a very nice day and Ma loved the heart. It's around her neck as I type this note and she wore it to work today. She was very suprised and was as impressed with the heart as I was.

I found a nice chain for it, rectangular box pattern, and had the jeweler solder the jump ring. All done with time to spare. If I can get her to take it off, I'll post a picture of the finished gift. I'm thankful for all of you help putting this together.



This isn't the chain I bought. When Ma came home after work she told me that the chain cut into the back of her neck due to the weight of the heart. We changed it to another one that she had for a different pendant and that helped out a lot. I was worried that the heart would be heavy, thats why I had the loop made so large. We will need to find a larger link chain or braided chain to carry the heart.

I thought I'd pass that along to you so you will be aware of the situation.

Other that that, I thought you'd like to know it was a hit at work and got a lot of OHHH's and AHHH's. Even the jeweler thought it was a very nice piece. You don't see anything like it around Iowa.


Dickb

[Denise]

Im very happy she likes it! I understand about the weight of the stone. I have several heavy heart pendants I wear, but I usually use suede leather cord choker style on them so they sit higher tward my neck. I have placed them on a braded style chain as well when im looking for a classier look though, and it holds up well. I would love to hear what style chain you end up going with that feels best for her.

Denise

[Denise]

Here is a cute one I made, but I cant remember what the stone is.
Anyone have any ideas of what it is? Very soft to work on the diamond wheels.

[CP]

Guess no one had a guess at that last one, color is popular though, it's already spoken for and will be getting a drill through hole today with a jump ring in sterling silver.

Here's another one of Denise's hearts in stone she did this summer and will be listed for sale in the Miners Market soon too. A sweet dino bone with red and white colors through out, set with a sterling silver custom "turn key" style hoop.
You can see a clear looking crack where clear agate filled a split in the bone during petrification process in backlighting.
Nice work on this one too honey, love the hearts in stone. Tough shape to do, and she polishes these all both sides and the edges.



A side angle pic of the "turn key" style hoop setting.


This one will be listed as a necklace with sterling silver chain included.

CP

[dickb]

This one will be listed as a necklace with sterling silver chain included.

CP

Nice looking heart and I like the key loop eye. Somebodies gonna get a nice Christmas present!!!!

Dan did you drill the heart and epoxy the eye?

You can turn the heart for two different looks and that just helps make it more useful.

Dickb

[CP]

Thanks for the compliments Dick. Yes actually that setting has been epoxied in to that single position so it would be impossible to "turn" the setting at this point, but the pendant is double sided and can be worn either side out.
It does look as if it could be turned though doesn't it? Kind of like a wind up turn key........let her rip!

Here's another recent completion from Denise hearts in stone collection, a sweet gem grade dinosaur bone heart with multiple colors through out.
This one was set for a custom order request with a 14k gold filled setting. I like the dino bones colors alot.


This one is also pictured previously in this thread but since then has had a custom made sterling silver wire wrap added to it as well for a special request. Hearts are tough shapes to wrap up but we thought this style turns out nicely with the heart shape.


CP

[Denise]

You do a fantastic job wrapping the hearts Dan!!! They look fantastic!