Half carat OEC pendant project

[Lookinagain]

Yay! Happy birthday to me (it’s tomorrow). I just bought this lovely Art Nouveau pendant. It’s 15k gold which was common in the early part of the 1900s in Britain. 3.5g. The central round amethyst is 5mm so I should be able to just replace it with my diamond.



It’s about 25mm wide overall, and I even made a little paper cutout and taped it on my chest and it seems about perfect.



I love the botanical vibes. I will probably remove the drop but I’m unsure. I really like it at is so I’ll make my decisions once I see it.

Here’s how it might look once it’s done.

I love it! Great find. I think it will be perfect on you. Congrats.

 

[vitona526]

A perfect description! Exactly the vibe I am cultivating.

I’ve been thinking about wearing it on a strand of teensy pearls or if I keep the drop it would look amazing on a strand of amethyst beads….

Both of those strands are beautiful!!

 

[Begonia]

You could easily put another wee pearl on the bottom. Check that out with a pearl bead and head pin before the loop is removed.

 

[Dreamer_D]

You could easily put another wee pearl on the bottom. Check that out with a pearl bead and head pin before the loop is removed.

That’s a good point! A pearl would be lovely and I love love pearls.

I wonder if I can match the color of the seed pearls on the pendant? They are very champagne looking.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Both of those strands are beautiful!!

And they are from a Canadian store on Etsy as well! They have so many beautiful pieces made of gemstone beads. I’ve been waiting to start buying their pieces.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/EarthlyAbundanceGems

 

[Starstruck8]

Yay! Happy birthday to me (it’s tomorrow). I just bought this lovely Art Nouveau pendant. It’s 15k gold which was common in the early part of the 1900s in Britain. 3.5g. The central round amethyst is 5mm so I should be able to just replace it with my diamond.



It’s about 25mm wide overall, and I even made a little paper cutout and taped it on my chest and it seems about perfect.



I love the botanical vibes. I will probably remove the drop but I’m unsure. I really like it at is so I’ll make my decisions once I see it.

Here’s how it might look once it’s done.

Great find! A classic nouveau piece.

Are you sure you want to change it? Purple and gold (like the Assyrian's cohorts) are a classic colour combination. And I like the length to width proportion given by the hanging amethyst. To me it seems 'just right' as is, the work of a thoughtful designer.

But of course, it's your piece and I respect your aesthetic judgement more than mine.

 

[Begonia]

That’s a good point! A pearl would be lovely and I love love pearls.

I wonder if I can match the color of the seed pearls on the pendant? They are very champagne looking.

Couple of bead shops in town. Start there. Then Sarah at Kojima could most certainly help!

 

[EllieTO]

What a great find! It seems like a perfect fit with the style you were looking for. I can't wait to see it with your adorable diamond in it! I like the idea of a pearl drop too.

 

[MissGotRocks]

It is a great find and I think it will be beautiful! Can't wait to see it all finished!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Great find! A classic nouveau piece.

Are you sure you want to change it? Purple and gold (like the Assyrian's cohorts) are a classic colour combination. And I like the length to width proportion given by the hanging amethyst. To me it seems 'just right' as is, the work of a thoughtful designer.

But of course, it's your piece and I respect your aesthetic judgement more than mine.

I will decide once I see it! I also really like purple and wear it a lot. And I agree the proportions with the drop are very nice. But I wanted a diamond pendant lol!

 

[Dreamer_D]

 

[Dreamer_D]

I’d like to replace the bail too.

 

[Dreamer_D]

It arrived! It’s very beautiful and delicate and I’m so happy with it. The craftsmanship is definitely fine enough to play with my other finely made rings and I love the Nouveau elfin style of it. The gold color is very rich being 15k. I need to buy a chain so I’m wearing it with a silver chain in the images.

I’m very glad I didn’t end up setting the diamond in a smaller scale setting like I was originally planning because wearing this it’s very obvious the scale of such a piece would have been entirely out of proportion to my frame, so thanks @elizat for pointing that out. This feels just right for the look I wanted. It’s hard to take good pictures wearing it! It’s prettier in person because the metal shines and the stones do have a little bit of flash.


I’m wearing it with two different length chains I own. I think I want something just a hint longer than the first but not as long as the second. This is my casual weekend/summer clothing but it’s a neckline I commonly wear. I think it looks nice.




I have mixed feelings about how/whether to adapt it. The gems are 5mm round and 6x4. They are amethyst so a very deep purple that tends to get very dark in most lighting. I think the pictures show that. It’s a nice contrast with the gold metal and it’s a little more casual than a diamond and pearl would be. I like the contrast but the color is not very vivid and somehow the gems don’t live up to the richness of the gold. A diamond and pearl would make it a little dressier and add some flash. I was contemplating removing the drop but I kind of like it so I think it will stay.

 

[lavenderdragonfly23]

This turned out so beautifully… wow.

 

[lavenderdragonfly23]

This picture though… I can almost smell the lilac

 

[Lookinagain]

I think it looks beautiful and scale is perfect. I can't wait to see it once you set the diamond.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I think it looks beautiful and scale is perfect. I can't wait to see it once you set the diamond.

I do really want to set the diamond into it, but where I am still torn is what to do about the drop. In person the little drop is so pretty and I like the prong setting a lot bc it mirrors the center stone. I'm not sure a pearl will achieve quite the same effect. I'm thinking about whether I a) remove the drop; b) change to pearl, and if so, what kind; c) replace with another faceted or cab gem that balanced the diamond, like opal or...; d) replace it with another diamond?? but finding a 6x4 old cut would be impossible and making a while new basket would defeat the purpose.

 

[Lookinagain]

I do really want to set the diamond into it, but where I am still torn is what to do about the drop. In person the little drop is so pretty and I like the prong setting a lot bc it mirrors the center stone. I'm not sure a pearl will achieve quite the same effect. I'm thinking about whether I a) remove the drop; b) change to pearl, and if so, what kind; c) replace with another faceted or cab gem that balanced the diamond, like opal or...; d) replace it with another diamond?? but finding a 6x4 old cut would be impossible and making a while new basket would defeat the purpose.

The purple is pretty but since you seem to think they go too dark I thought you didn’t want to keep it. Can you have the drop put on a jump ring so you could take it on and off? Maybe also do a pearl that way too? Just thinking being able to change it out might be fun. I guess it would have to be a very small ring to do something like that though so not sure if that’s a real option. I agree finding an old cut diamond could be tough.

 

[Dreamer_D]

The purple is pretty but since you seem to think they go too dark I thought you didn’t want to keep it. Can you have the drop put on a jump ring so you could take it on and off? Maybe also do a pearl that way too? Just thinking being able to change it out might be fun. I guess it would have to be a very small ring to do something like that though so not sure if that’s a real option. I agree finding an old cut diamond could be tough.

It’s dark but also really rich and pretty. I think they are high quality amethyst. Maybe I’m just a snob and don’t like “cheap” gems lol

 

[MissGotRocks]

It is pretty and a good choice for your diamond. I think I am still in the pearl camp for the bottom - how about a colored pearl?

 

[Dreamer_D]

It is pretty and a good choice for your diamond. I think I am still in the pearl camp for the bottom - how about a colored pearl?

I’ve been hunting around for a pearl and the issue is that to keep the proportions right it needs to be very small, just 4x6. Teeny teensy! Most pearls I’ve found at the various sellers are larger than that, especially the colorful ones. I will keep poking around and see what I can find!

 

[Dreamer_D]

The purple is pretty but since you seem to think they go too dark I thought you didn’t want to keep it. Can you have the drop put on a jump ring so you could take it on and off? Maybe also do a pearl that way too? Just thinking being able to change it out might be fun. I guess it would have to be a very small ring to do something like that though so not sure if that’s a real option. I agree finding an old cut diamond could be tough.

It’s so delicate so I don’t think a removable ring is an option but I’ll see what I can find!

 

[vitona526]

I love it! The color of the gold is beautiful. I vote to keep the drop and switch it for a tiny pearl or opal. I’d like a rose cut diamond too tho probably harder to find and more expensive.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I love it! The color of the gold is beautiful. I vote to keep the drop and switch it for a tiny pearl or opal. I’d like a rose cut diamond too tho probably harder to find and more expensive.

Rose cut would be amazing. I also thought about a briolette.

One of the things I like about the drop currently is the little gold basket is very nicely executed with pretty swoopy prongs. And the delicate size is also very nice. It would be nice to replace it with another 6x4 gem that would work with the diamond so I can keep the pretty basket.

 

[vitona526]

Rose cut would be amazing. I also thought about a briolette.

One of the things I like about the drop currently is the little gold basket is very nicely executed with pretty swoopy prongs. And the delicate size is also very nice. It would be nice to replace it with another 6x4 gem that would work with the diamond so I can keep the pretty basket.

OVAL ROSE CUT DIAMOND 0.45ct 6.8 x 4.5mm LOOSE NATURAL EARTH MINED 1/2 CARAT

Highlights:- Oval shape rose cut- Faceting catches the light beautifully- Rose cut gives the 0.45ct a very large look at 6.8 x 4.5mm!- Very minimal warmth with J-K color- SI2 clarity with white inclusions around the edgesAdditional Notes:- The diamond is being sold loose, but it can be mounted...

ivyandrose.com

I little bit big, but close. I’ll keep an eye out. What gems do you like? I know Canadian sellers are preferred.

Looks like you have another search on your hands!

 

[Begonia]

Want some liver of sulphur to blacken the sterling chain? To use until you get a gold one? I wear a lot of blackened silver...

 

[Dreamer_D]

Want some liver of sulphur to blacken the sterling chain? To use until you get a gold one? I wear a lot of blackened silver...

Beautiful! I picked up an inexpensive gold filled chain figaro from a Canadian Etsy vendor. I hope to have it soon!

 

[Dreamer_D]

OVAL ROSE CUT DIAMOND 0.45ct 6.8 x 4.5mm LOOSE NATURAL EARTH MINED 1/2 CARAT

Highlights:- Oval shape rose cut- Faceting catches the light beautifully- Rose cut gives the 0.45ct a very large look at 6.8 x 4.5mm!- Very minimal warmth with J-K color- SI2 clarity with white inclusions around the edgesAdditional Notes:- The diamond is being sold loose, but it can be mounted...

ivyandrose.com

I little bit big, but close. I’ll keep an eye out. What gems do you like? I know Canadian sellers are preferred.

Looks like you have another search on your hands!

A bit more than I want to spend on this too.

I like lots of gems but for this project I would prioritize a gem that compliments the diamond without pulling focus. The diamond is a faint brown, the seed pearls are a soft silvery tone, so very neutral. A saturated gem would be too distracting I fear. Too much contrast.