Gyrogami Blog - Precious Metals, Jewelry, Artwork

Byzantine Graduated Necklace

Blog Index

The finished piece
17-5/16" long, 106 grams

Click picture for full-size version

Categories: Products; Jewelry

Word count/read time: 445 words; 2 minutes

The completed item can be found here.

I'd be writing many more blogs if I told a story about every new piece so I only do it for out-of-the-ordinary pieces. This one qualifies. Some people might not appreciate or understand what's involved. Here's the lowdown on this welded 0.999 fine silver showstopper.

Though I have spreadsheets which calculate nearly every metric prior to manufacturing, they only speed up the math. Even with this help, I spent about 1-1/2 hours deciding the ring count, sizes, and wire diameters. Byzantine is a particular weave, not as bad as JPLs, but the rings have to be just right to get the look. It was a balance between weight, labor, material cost, and the expected retail price.

In the end, 14 different ring sizes (16 counting the clasp findings) were required. It takes graduated to the PhD level! They range in size from 2.6mm @ 33/64" I.D. to 1.1mm @ 5/32" I.D. Twelve of those rings sizes were for the weave proper and the other two were attached like a pendant to the center one.

There are numerous ways to graduate or taper a weave. It can be a gradual from start to end which I felt wouldn't capture the essence of the weave. I wanted the tapering seen fully and completely. Byzantine units are twelve rings long, so I halved it for the shortest size reduction. Still, the tapered section is over eight inches long.

I opted to use Byzantine the entire length instead of connecting the tapered section to a generic chain. Tipping the scales at 106 grams, its heft is distributed evenly so it's comfortable. In comparison, my Full Persian 6-in-1 graduated necklace tapers more gradually and has a 2-in-1 forged chain at the back. You don't really see the back so it saves money, time, makes it lighter, and it can be used as an extender section.

About those rings...the 14 sizes have different inner diameters and wire diameters. Drawing the wire, coiling, cutting, and cleaning took over three hours plus additional time to roll out an ingot for the larger size. Already five-plus hours into "making" the necklace and I haven't even started weaving! The graduated section alone took over six hours to complete, and the remainder will take another nine-ish. Then the clasp, final sanding and polishing, and all the literature and documentation.

So many people mistakenly call their items "statement pieces" for little else than being large, heavy, or made from expensive metals (though often poorly made - what statement that makes is probably not what they intended). Mine makes a brief layover at statement but doesn't stop until it reaches declaration.

Posted by M: November 4, 2020

Please email any thoughts or comments regarding this post.

Previous Entry . . . . Next Entry

Comment Section

NOTE: Your comments will be included in this section as long as they aren't illegal. This section is censor-free so show me your intelligence or ignorance and everything in between!

2024