A customer has requested a locket bracelet. She doesn’t like the
traditional type she has found so far, such as a heart locket on a
chain.
She has requested a cuff with the locket integrated into the front
of the bracelet. If this comes to pass, I’m sure I will be back to
ask further questions about the construction.
For now, for design purposes, please tell me how you keep a picture
in a locket on your wrist from getting wet? I see tons of the hearts
hanging from chain bracelets on the net, and they say, “Insert your
own picture into the locket” but they say nothing like, “Remove from
wrist before washing hands or doing dishes.”
Thanks,
Kelley
Kelley,
A lot of my work consists of paper set under glass. I currently do
the following to seal the paper prior to setting it.
-
Modge Podge both the back and front of the paper.
-
Once the Modge Podge is dry I use a product called Diamond Glaze
which I dollop on the top and then set the glass cab on to dry.
-
Put a small drop of diamond glaze in the bottom of the bezel cup
prior to setting it.
Both products state that they make items water proof. I have washed
my hands, showered, swam, put the charms through a washing machine
cycle, and even subbmitted them to the tumbler for hours once they
are bezel set. All of which caused no damage to the paper. With that
said, I still tell my customers to use caution as over time the
sealants can break down over time and repeated exposure. Also, the
only exposure the piece would really get is the small crack between
the glass cab and the bezel setting.
Lastly, if above doesn’t work well for you, I’ve also tried
Renaissance wax which is available through Rio. They use it to
protect museum items, it works great on paper and dries clear with
no issues. It has a very strong smell through, which I don’t prefer.
Ice Resin (iceresin.com) will protect paper from water. The key is
to paint or spray the paper with acrylic medium so the resin doesn’t
soak into the paper. Unless you want it to -then the paper becomes
transparent and only the image or letters appear.
Check the website for more info. It sounds like a fun project!
There are several other kinds of 2-part epoxy resins for jewelry - I
don’t know their names though. But they are out there.
Claire Ramsey
Hi Kelley,
I am lucky I have rain water for my water supply, drunk it for 25
years no problems.
However in the last couple of years all the council rainwater tanks
have a stupid MSDS sign
Unfit for human consumption!
Makes us who live in the bush laugh.
When we run out of water in a drought and have to get a load of town
water, we hate it, that stuff stinks, chlorine etc.
Any way back to the point, what is in town water can do nasty things
to jewellery.
So just tell them not to get the locket wet, then it is not your
problem.
Go swimming in a non waterproof watch. Whose problem is it? Not the
makers, the swimmers.
Had a customer and their husband ask me last week, “Can I wear it in
the shower?”
They thought this was some test of metal quality.
I said “No, do you know what is in the water?” They got the point.
(An aside Shakespeare among others did not use “he or she” or some
other derivation to be non-sexist he used they. Shame the PC
feminists did not learn English. It would have saved me some wasted
time and annoyance in my university theses. Did not find out about
Shakespeare’s use of they till after they were written.)
Richard
I am lucky I have rain water for my water supply, drunk it for 25
years no problems.
Bet you have to strain the wrigglers through your teeth sometimes
CIA
Hi don’t get wrigglers (mosquito larvae) in house water as never
drain tank.
Simple. Also a capful of kerosine in a tank kill the wrigglers.
Now if it was so simple to deal with ladies who use chemicals.
Had a very upset customer who had damaged her fine silver earrings.
They had a very dark brown stain on them. Cleaned them with a JCR
cleaner
no problem.
What had she done? Wore the earrings while getting a hair dye job.
Makes me wonder how toxic are the chemicals ladies expose themselves
to in the name of beauty.
Richard