Resin Inlay Pendant and Choker

Description

This brass Resin Inlay Enamel pendant is about 1 inch wide by 13/8 inches long. The inlay materials that are mixed with the epoxy are pearlescent paints, gold and white. The pendant is made with brass circles and the brass oval has been plated with copper to give a warm contrast to the brass. The brass choker is very comfortable to wear and can be worn alone without the pendant. Read all about epoxy inlay enameling below.

Convo me if you would like this style made with herbs and spices that I have used in my other pieces. Your choice and the price would be the same.

I want you to enjoy my wearable art. If for any reason you are not pleased with my item, please contact me within 7 days. I will accommodate you in any way I can. If you would prefer, return your purchase within the 7 days in its original condition and I will refund your purchase price minus shipping charges.

As an Eclectic Metalsmith, I enjoy working with metals in unique ways.

Resin Inlay is a technique where a very clear two part resin is mixed with the artisan’s choice of materials. These materials can be enamels used for enameling on copper or silver. They can also be herbs & spices that give the epoxy both color and wonderful texture. I also use powdered paints that have a pearlescent look to them. Anything that can be combined with mixed epoxy can be used - Ground eye shadows and blushes provide wonderful colors.

This thick mixture is then placed in the completed jewelry (or other item) area that I have designed and allowed to dry overnight. For textured inlays, the piece is now complete. Depending upon the look I want, inlays of homogeneous materials such as paint or enamels may be complete or I may sand the inlay down to the top of the copper, brass, or silver compartment for a flat matte look. Sanded pieces are then coated with a lacquer to be sure that the inlay is sealed.

Resin inlay pieces are as durable as the jewelry itself. To clean an enameled piece, use a soft damp cloth. If necessary, apply a mild soap solution to the cloth, clean the item, rinse gently with warm water and dry. The inlay is held in place by the strength of the resin. The bond to the metal is strong, but a sharp blow may dislodge the inlay. Therefore, this technique is best used for earrings, pendants, hair ornaments, and broaches or pins.

That said, I purchased a great sweater with ugly buttons. I made resin inlay buttons using a variety of spices and abused those buttons terribly. My intent was to remove the buttons before putting the sweater through the washer and dryer. I would never recommend this abuse, but I did accidentally put this sweater through the washer and dryer. Surprisingly, all of the buttons, except for one came out fine. One of the spices I used was rather chunky and a corner broke off one of the spice pieces. Sort of a “don’t do this at home” moment. The buttons are quite nice, so one of these days I’ll put the sweater up in the gallery section of my web site (eclecticmetalsmith.com). The sweater…it has been “well loved”.

Added on Sep 23, 2009