Fathom Necklace in Sterling and Brass

Description

The big boat rolled and pitched in the fury of the gale. Huge waves crashed across the deck, pummeling and tearing at the wheelhouse. The boat rolled again in a gigantic swell, glass broke and the box tumbled across the cabin, smashed against the rail, and descended into the icy depths of Lake Superior.

Time passed as the shattered box and its contents lay shrouded in silt.

"Ooooh! Look at this Dad!"
"What did you find, Ben?"
Five-year-old Ben and his Dad were picking their way along the rocky shoreline, looking for agates and interesting flotsam that may have surfaced during the previous nights storm.
"Hmmmm, said Dad,"It looks like copper or brass. Maybe it was banding on a box of some kind."
"Like for pirate treasure?" squealed Ben.
"Could be...Hey, we know someone would be interested in this, shall we give it to her to make into cool jewelry?"
"Yea!!"

The Fathom Necklace is made from the end of that small piece of banding. It has a gorgeous patina from years under Lake Superior that simply can not be duplicated.
The brass pendant is roughly 3 cm wide and 2 cm tall. I riveted it to a sterling bail which slides on a sterling bar, 4.5 cm long. The coolness of the silver sets off the warm tones of the brass beautifully. The chain is sterling, about 15 inches long, and finished with a handmade sterling clasp. The brass is lightly waxed to protect its finish.
This is clearly a one of a kind piece. I have a bit more of the brass left, so earrings will be coming soon, but when it's gone, it's truly gone.

Added on Dec 10, 2009