To make the links: Take a piece of iron 3⁄16 in. in diameter and file the two sides oval in shape. This is a bar on which you can bend the links. One end of the silver wire is placed against this mandrel and both put into the vise and fastened. Bend the wire round and round this iron rod, making the coils as close as you can get them. Count each revolution as one link. You can easily count the number of links in your necklace. When you get the number of turns needed, unfasten it all from the vise and pull the rod out. You have a spiral-shaped coil. With a jewellers' saw, saw the length of the spiral on the end of the links. Each one will drop off in the shape of a link. This is the very best way to bend up a number of links that will be uniform in size. You will notice that the ends of the link, after it is sawed off, are not opposite each other. Push these ends together, using the fingers or a pair of pliers. If the sawing is carefully done the links will be ready to solder. Solder first one link in the usual way. Hook the other link into it. Repeat until the chain is the desired length. If the proper amount of solder is placed on the joint it will run in without making lumps to be filed off later.
Pendant: The pendant is made in the same way as the watch fob, which is explained in a later chapter. The setting of the stones in the chain is done as other stone setting, except that the ends are filed into shape to receive the links for joining. Fastenings for the necklace can be bought at any jewellery store. It is much better to buy them than to attempt to make them.
Square silver wire can be used to mark out the design, or any design, instead of round wire, and great variety can be secured merely by a change in the shape of the wire used for the links. Again, you may have a necklace with or without the pendant; the so-called bar necklace, the dog collar, or the chain may be lengthened until it becomes the watch chain.
In the group picture of necklaces there is one necklace made up of long flat links joined together by small links soldered on. The design for the necklace is sawed out. It is used for a necklace and watch chain. This is only one of many suggestions for sawed out design work applied in this way.
COLLAR SLIDE
Collar slides make very pretty pieces of jewellery. Three form a set, and they are easily made. These given here are all made of silver with turquoise setting. The centre slide is usually a trifle larger than the other two. A piece of ribbon is slipped through a little wire slot put on the back of each slide for that purpose. Any colour ribbon that blends with the silver and turquoise looks well.
Material: One piece silver, 5⁄8 × 11⁄8 ins. (for centre slide). Two pieces silver, 9⁄16 × 11⁄8 ins. (for other two). Three stones well matched. Piece of No. 20 silver wire, 5 ins. long.