Swing locket

    I recently got a commission to make a locket for Christmas.  Never having made a locket before I started looking around for some "how to's".    Tim McCreight's book "PMC  Technic" was recommended to me because Celie Fago has a chapter in it on making PMC hinges.  Making a hinge looks pretty involved and since I didn't have the time for such dedicated learning I kept on looking.  

  In Celie's chapter on making hinges, she showed a picture of a swing locket, which looked intriguing to me.  But, she didn't talk about how she made it.  So, I went on the hunt again.  This time I found directions for her swing locket on the Art Jewelry Magazine's website, purchased them and downloaded (or is it uploaded) them to my computer.  Again, this particular style of locket didn't seem to fit the client that I was making the locket for so I started looking again.

  The third find was almost a charm.  I don't remember exactly how I found it, but there was another metal clay locket in a Vintage Bead magazine.  So, I sent for that one too.  (By now I've got major time and money invested in my searching.)  Took about a week for the magazine to come, but the article appeared to be exactly what I was looking for.  Next I had to order some fine silver keys to imbed into the clay to create the hinge.  (While I was at it, I ordered fine silver tubing, just in case.)  That took a few more days, but once they arrived I set to work.  As I worked on the locket,  questions started popping up about the directions.  The directions were feasible, but sometimes I felt they were not practical or very clear.   

  Finally, I put all that aside and started to work on my own.  As usual, when doing a commission, I made more than one locket.  (Actually three in all.... the other two are not totally finished and may now take a different direction.)   The finished locket is simple and traditional in  design.   (I felt the client wasn't into the arty look.)  The finished locket has a front and a back but can be worn either way.  There is room for a photo on the inside of the back piece.  It turned out to be a swing locket after all.  The biggest challenge for me with this particular design was to have some kind of  "lock" to keep it from swinging apart without warning.  What I did was hang a drop from the bottom with a jump ring and notched out the front (circled in red) so the jump ring can protrude through the front piece and hold it in place.  

  The client wanted some earrings too.  They were made by sandwiching the fine silver key between two discs.  

  All in all I was pleased with the way it turned out.  As usual, the pictures do not do them justice.    The locket and earrings were to be picked up in a few minutes (that is another whole story) , so I just clicked a couple of pictures as they laid on the studio table.  

  Maybe some day I'll get a commission that will be a breeze to make.  (Right .... as if that will ever happen.  I always make more work for myself.)