Spiral earrings

A fellow artist friend asked if I could make a set of spiral earring that could encase a short string of pearls that she wanted to recycle.

I have made 3 spiral from the silver-plated fine edge of a serving tray - harvested, trimmed and ground. The edge is about 3mm wide and 1.5mm thick. Because it has a copper base it lends itself to form a spiral - in that it can stretch and bend.

©2014 Barry Smith - Silver-plated copper spirals in the rough

One difference with these spirals is after forming the spirals I have hammered them to form a progressively tighter spiral at the top - almost like a cone shell.

©2014 Barry Smith - Silver-plated copper spirals - first grind and polish

I wanted to create this shape so that the top pearl in the string could sit snugly into the top of the spiral. You can see from the photo below that this has worked well.

©2014 Barry Smith - Spiral with string of pearls

©2014 Barry Smith - Spirals that will make up the pair of earrings

I now need to talk with the owner of the pearls to discuss length of the spirals (they are currently 60mm long and about 10mm wide at the widest point); and also discuss where the string of pearls will stop. But so far the earrings are looking ok; and the spare spiral could of could become a pendant.