“On the Half Shell” Stone & Copper Pendants

by Laura R. Castano.
(Berkshire Foothills, Massachusetts, USA)

I’ve always liked to wear and make large pendants. I don’t like to string and have always used custom made links or a combo of custom links and commercial chain, and spent a lot of time fiddling with things to make sure the chain on heavy pieces would lay comfortably at the back of the neck.

I made the first piece about a year ago to match a dress I was wearing to a holiday party.

A regular customer who refers to herself as “a big girl” ordered a variation and told me it was one of the most comfortable pieces she’d worn in a long time because the scalloped links lay over the collar bone in such a way that distributes the weight outward instead of downward.

Getting ready for a show I bought some large oval stones and found that by using the scalloped links with the stone presented on the horizontal I could make very bold statement pendants that are comfortable to wear and flattering on virtually everyone.
The “scallop” shaped link has become my signature element and my “On the Half Shell” collection is fast becoming my best seller.

Laura R Castano
Copper Owl Jewelry