Amethysts in Silver Teardrop Earrings

Hand crafted using traditional methods. The stone settings were created by fitting a fine silver bezel strip around each stone cabochon to make ovals, which were then soldered to sheet sterling silver, cut round, filed and sanded. The teardrop shapes were created from sterling silver wire. The stone settingsgs and jump rings were then soldered into place on the teardrops. The pieces were then submerged in a warm pickle solution to remove fire scale caused by the blow torch, then cleaned and polished to give the earrings their lovely sheen. The stones were then placed in the settings and the silver bezel pushed over the top to hold them in place and the settings burnished. The earrings were completed by adding sterling silver beaded hook wires.