A wave-link chain, gold-plated with 24K fine gold, and on each of its separator links three suspended elements: a short length of chain, a strawberry quartz chip, a faceted red onyx bead. Twenty-six times in a row. The milky pink and deep red echo from one link to the next, and the necklace takes on that dense movement that stands out with every gesture. Nothing complicated here: a simple loop, an open twisted ring, and the time it takes.
For those who want jewelry that really showcases the stones, and who like taking the time to make a complete piece, step by step.
Tools needed: flat nose pliers, round nose pliers, wire cutters
Cut the Wave chain so that you keep 27 wave links. You get a necklace of about 38 cm. Then count the separator links placed between each wave: there are 26. These are your attachment points, and everything will be assembled on them. Take the time to count them now; you won't come back to it.
Cut 26 pieces of 2 cm round-link chain. One per separator. Keep them grouped on your workshop mat; you'll pick them up one by one during assembly. Equal-length segments give the necklace its regular drape.
Thread 2 strawberry quartz chip beads onto a head pin. Cut the wire to about 8 mm above the bead. Form an angle with the flat nose pliers, cut to leave about 1 cm, then make a simple loop with the round nose pliers. Repeat 26 times. Then make the same assembly with the faceted red onyx beads, also 26 times. You get 52 charms ready to hang.
Two joining methods coexist on each separator; don't mix them up.
The chain segment passes through a jump ring. Open the ring with a twist, thread the last link of the 2 cm segment on, pass the ring through the separator link, close it until the ends meet.
The two beads attach directly to the separator, without a ring. Twist open the loop of the strawberry quartz pin, fit it into the separator link, close. Do the same with the red onyx pin.
Keep the same hanging order on all the separators — chain, quartz, onyx. That's what gives the necklace its regular rhythm. Then continue separator by separator to the end of the chain, 26 times.
Twist open the clasp ring and connect it directly to the end link. At the other end, attach the extension chain with a jump ring. Close each ring until the ends meet, with no slack left. The necklace is finished.
Sort your strawberry quartz chips before you begin. Their holes are narrow and irregular: set aside right away any that don't fit the pin gauge, so you won't have to stop in the middle of assembly. And remember that a ring always opens with a twist, one side toward you, the other outward. Never by pulling the two ends apart: the ring will deform and won't spring back into shape. Same rule for reopening a pin loop. A loop closed tight is what holds the element over time.
The gemstone duo can be changed without altering the assembly. Amazonite and lapis lazuli for a bold blue combination, rose quartz and amethyst for a softer version, garnet and black spinel for a crisp contrast.
Twenty-six fully filled separators have real presence: the necklace has weight in the hand and stands out. If you prefer a lighter look, fill one separator out of two and let the Wave chain breathe between each group. The Wave links are soldered, which is what makes it possible to load so much on without the chain opening.
Strawberry quartz and red onyx — the milky pink and deep red, set side by side.
To be reserved alone or with friends!
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