I recently saw a $5750 necklace. It was lovely, but not in the least tempting unless I came into a windfall. For that kind of money, if I had it, I likely would not buy this necklace. I can think of other, more worthwhile for me, choices.
It was a lariat, about 40 inches long, made with gray Tahitian pearls, very good quality odd shaped smoky quartz, 18K white gold 2-3 mm diamond-cut beads -- these really did look like diamonds -- and chain, and aquamarine oval beads. A pearl anchored one end. The other end had a circular clasp similar to clasps used to hang slides from an Omega chain. This would clamp along the necklace to change the length.
I liked the pattern. I liked the way it draped. The major cost was likely the pearls. OTOH, this store has it's own manufacturing center, so the mark-up was excruciating. Each component can easily be found, generally at cost, especially if you wander the bead shows.
Creative copying
The good thing about beading is that with a little creativity it is relatively easy to 'copy' something, even if it is not identical which is more creative anyway, because of the tweaking necessary since the components are usually similar but different.
Such is the case with this necklace. I might use some large freshwater pearls that I have on hand.
I pretty much decided I would skip the chain and beads. I could do it with silver, but I'm not sure I'd like it as well as without it. OTOH, it might not drape as well without the chain. I can't picture it in my head right now.
Finding the smokey quartz as rutilated quartz instead
I visited a bead store that I'd seen advertised on a billboard every time we went past it. They claimed to be wholesale -- not -- but they were interesting anyway with a fairly large selection.
They didn't have smoky quartz, but they had some kind of rutilated quartz, just as interesting, in the shape I wanted. Several had very interesting striations, with gold lines or an interesting reverse side. These were separate in a dish, not a temporary strand. I decided to take them all as I can come up with various combinations for earrings, etc., plus I didn't know how many I would want or need, and since the shop is down the road apiece, I wouldn't be heading back there until another road trip, who knows when. Additionally they had a strand of hexagonal aqua chalcedony which looks a bit like Peruvian opal. $16 for that was a good price, I thought. And I got an interesting silver S clasp for the end which will link to the long side to change the length of the lariat.
At a second store I bought some silver chain. I don't think it is workable in this project, but you never know.
So for well less than $100 I will have something I will like as well, I think -- maybe better since I know it is not as expensive.
I haven't beaded in months basically, due to life, but I think I'm motivated. I might play around with it a bit. It might be fun. I'll keep my hand in.
Update on my finished projects
My creations turned out beautiful -- I liked them better than the $5750 beauty, which I visited again, -- and I had to be doubly creative because the rutilated quartz was not drilled end to end, but top drilled. I learned a lesson on that one, but I love the beads. I just would have known ahead of time that they were drilled 'wrong.' Wrong turned out to be right.
Do you bead?
Karin
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Neato. I do this very same thing!!! The only downside for me at least is that I wind up taking apart some of my creations to do something else with the beads… whoops.
I take apart things too, when I no longer wear them or find a bead to go with something to make it better.
Whoops can turn out to be right!