Design This – Ammonite Necklace

Sometimes the perfect custom order isn’t complicated; sometimes it just requires the right elements and a streamlined design. I once wore an ammonite pendant on a chain to a candidate’s forum that I moderated. At the end of the evening I was talking with two of the ladies that helped put the forum together when one of them mentioned how much she liked my necklace and sounded like she would love to have something similar. The other lady mentioned that I made jewelry but since we were all trying to get things packed up and get home for the evening, I suggested that we could talk about it later.

Well, we both got busy, didn’t see each other frequently and it was actually quite some time before the topic came up again. By the time that it did, I had acquired a nice strand of sliced and drilled ammonites in addition to the pendants that I had in my supply stash. I suggested that I could take a photo of the ammonites that I had on hand to see if any of them looked like a good starting point for a necklace (1st photo).

After picking out her favorite, my customer and I discussed what her thoughts were for her finished necklace. I have several different jasper beads whose colors would go well with the ammonites. My customer really liked the simple look of a pendant on a chain so the ammonite would be the star of the necklace and draw one’s attention to it. She also had a preference for a barrel clasp. I asked for some guidance as to the preferred finished length of the piece. After all, this might be a reasonably simple request, but it was a custom one so it should be made to fit to a “T”. I actually had to locate a barrel clasp since I didn’t have any on hand and paired up everything with some chain that I had that I thought would complement the ammonite pendant. I took a photo of this mock up (2nd photo) and sent it off to my customer with a price estimate.

When I got the thumbs up, I made up the necklace to the agreed specifications. Like any other custom order, I always hold my breath a bit in hopes that the final product, seen in person, is just what the customer was hoping for. Seeing the affirmation that it is, no matter how simple or complex the request, is what makes me enjoy custom work so much. If you haven’t been able to find a special piece of jewelry that you’ve been thinking of, contact me to see if I can make it for you.