Etched Curved Sterling Silver Heart Pendant

Etching is a fun but time-consuming process. I begin with sheet silver. I select my design and print it on special paper. The design is burnished onto the heated metal and the paper is peeled off. The silver sheet is then floated on an acid bath. The exposed metal gets etched with the pattern. The silver is neutralized in a bath and the special blue paper for the design is scrubbed off with a solvent.

I cut out the pendant from the silver sheet using a jeweler's saw. I filed and smoothed the edges, polished the silver, then depletion gilded it to bring the pure silver up to the surface. I burnished 24K Gold foil onto part of the pendant using an ancient Korean technique called Keum Boo. I painted patina onto parts of the etched surface to accentuate the design.

This is from one of my Indian Design books. The heart is curved to the right with an unusual shape almost like a mango. The design is split in two with a checkerboard on the left and flowers on the right.

The Gold and patina combination gives it an unusual blue, gold as well as coppery glint on the left while the silver shines on the rest of the piece.

Dimensions : 2 inches X 1 and 1/4 inch. Sterling silver box chain 18 inches.