Evolution

I've made this piece today - this was originally a PARIS bracelet from around the 1940's (see below) and to be honest I paid way way too much for it - but I'm a sucker for this shade of blue - I had to have it.

Taking vintage or antique pieces apart makes me break into a nervous sweat, I must be sure it's right for the piece, which leads to lots of jewellery waiting for me to make up my mind before I start in with the pliers.... 

From the outset, I imagined a 'V' shape necklace with swags and tails - the initial construction went to plan, but getting the length and drape of the chain swags right was a horror - I kept snipping away at chain and opening and closing jump rings.   The only way to construct a piece like this is to do it on a dress form, it's not possible to get it right working straight from a bead mat.  It would have made sense to draw it before starting, but I rarely do; I only draw when I'm not sure and I'm worried about cutting something that will make it unuseable if the design doesn't work.

Click on any of the photos to go to the Etsy Listing.

I wanted the original jewellery to be the star, everything else to look as if it belonged, but the Parisian landmark plaques to be the focus of what the necklace was about; also, I could put the original bracelet back together fairly easily if I wanted to (though I don't), and overall I'm happy with the look of the new piece - what do you think?