See the latest version of this tutorial here.
Inspiration:
After seeing a lot of raw gem jewelry pop up lately, I decided I could easily replicate it. This tutorial shows how to make a pendant, but I also used the same concepts to make earrings, much like the Anthropologie ones shown above.
When I was younger, I had a thing for crystals. As a result, I have a lot of random rocks/minerals/crystals laying around that I was able to use for this project. If you aren’t a weirdo crystal collector like I once was, I’m sure you can find some cheap raw crystals online (for example http://www.thecrystalman.com/tcm/raw.htm).
Anyway, you will need:
• Raw crystals
• Gold leaf
• Gold leaf base coat, adhesive, and sealer (conveniently sold in a kit like this which I found at Michael’s)
• Jump ring
• E6000
• Aleene’s Jewel-It Embellishing glue
• Necklace chain
*To be fair, a similar look can be achieved much more quickly using gold paint. However, I like the look of gold leaf, as to me it looks more “gold-dipped” than paint does.
You will notice that one of these crystals in entirely translucent, while one is more of a geode and has an opaque side.
If you are working with a crystal with an opaque side, coat the opaque part with the red base coat and allow it to dry. Do not use base coat with a translucent crystal, as the red will show through. (i made this mistake earlier. it looks super ugly.)
After the base coat is dry, cover it with adhesive. Let the adhesive dry for about 30 minutes, so that it is tacky. The kit it comes in has more specific instructions explaining the adhesive, but basically it is a thin liquid and needs time to become sticky. When you first apply it, it will look milky. When it is tacky enough, it will be clear.
Lightly press a piece of gold leaf onto the crystal, using a dry, soft paintbrush to press it into the crevices and burnish it gently, which will make the excess fall off.
After most of the excess gold leaf is trimmed, go around again with a slightly stiffer brush to get off more excess.
You will have some bald spots where the leaf did not adhere. Apply more adhesive to the bald spots and apply more gold leaf.
Once you are satisfied with the coverage of the gold leaf, apply a thin coat of sealer and allow it to dry.
At the tip of the pendant, place a dollop of E6000 glue and push a jump ring into it. Hold it in place for a few minutes until the glue hardens enough to hold it up. For added reinforcement, use a little of Aleene’s Jewel-It glue around the jump ring. Once the glue is dry, if you want, you can apply gold leaf to that as well.
“Gold Dipped” Raw Citrine Geode Pendant
String the pendant on a necklace and enjoy!
Tf you don't use the base coat, will the leaf adhere just as well? Thanks! This is great! D you have a finished product picture?
Thanks! Yes, it should adhere just as well as long as you use enough glue and sealer. I've been meaning to post some finished product pics, I just haven't gotten around to it yet! 🙂
That is so cool thanks for sharing!!
thank you!!!! <3
Thank you so much for this tutorial!!!
This is so cool! Just what I was looking for. I plan to do it on shark teeth to make pendants. Thank you!
ainsleyandarrow.com
what size jump ring do you use?
Here are more than a dozen DIY jewelry projects for making your own raw crystal or raw gemstone jewelry.