When a Pendant Becomes a Clasp: My Latest Jewelry Adventure

One of the many things I love about metalsmithing is the endless opportunity for learning. Mastering the foundational techniques of jewelry making takes time—years, even. And once you have a strong grasp of the basics, it’s natural to want to explore new territories and push your skills further. At least, that's how it is for me.

Learning new techniques always opens the door to fresh design possibilities, which means even more creative fun. I never really had access to in-person jewelry classes when I started. I’m largely self-taught, learning through trial and error, reading books, and watching online videos. But this year, I made a promise to myself: to focus on learning new techniques and expanding my skills. I’m also hoping to combine my desire to travel with taking some in-person classes along the way!

The first class I took this year was a clasp design class with the talented Suzanne Williams. Suzanne is an incredible jeweler who teaches both online and in person. In this particular class, we learned to create a pendant that also functions as a clasp—a beautiful and practical combination.

I incorporated a few of my favorite elements into the piece: a pearl, hollow forms, citrine, and moissanites. I won't lie—this project fought me every step of the way. Just when I thought I had figured out the mechanism or the design, I would realize it didn’t quite work. Sometimes the design wasn't visually appealing, sometimes it was off-balance, and sometimes the pendant simply wouldn’t interlock correctly.

After many tweaks and adjustments, I finally created a piece that I’m proud to call my own. I absolutely love the concept of a pendant that also acts as a clasp, and I’m excited to explore more designs using this feature for my website. Fingers crossed I can combine another little "vaca" with a new class in the near future!

Check out my Instagram reel to see how the pendant interlocks

For all my jewelry-making friends: if you're interested in taking a class with Suzanne, you can click here.

You can also find all my online courses HERE and my in-person classes HERE. I’m currently filming a new tutorial featuring a tension cuff and a hollow form ring. Plus, I’m getting ready to dive into the world of Zoom classes—another exciting (and slightly intimidating) learning curve!

If you’d like to stay in the loop for upcoming tutorials and classes, add your name to my email list and snag a free too list! Click HERE for sign up.