Cross and Dots Etched Silver And Gold Earrings

I picked this design to etch from my Indian pattern book. A lot of Indian textiles have geometrical patterns with crosses and dots.

These Earrings are fun, youthful and dangly. They remind me of the saris worn by women around me when I was growing up

Etching is an interesting process. The pattern is copied onto blue Press and Peel paper. It is burnished onto heated sterling silver sheet. Once the piece cools, the paper is peeled off, the design is left on the silver, sort of like a tattoo. The piece is placed in an acid bath which etches the design into the silver. After the etch is deep enough the silver is placed in a neutralizing solution. The remains of the blue paper is cleaned off. The piece is sawed away from the sheet silver, filed, refined and polished. 

I depletion gilded these pieces and burnished 24K Gold Foil on the heated piece, an ancient Korean technique called Keum Boo. I painted the dots with patina for additional color.

I added leverback earwires. These can be switched to comfortable sterling silver clip ons for an additional charge.

Dimensions : 1 and 1/4 inch X 1 and 1/4 inch