Amber, many people are fond of saying, is nature's plastic. It is polymerized tree resin (not sap) but the important thing is, it's light, soft and scratches extremely easily. However, I probably purchased these pendants with the idea of scrimshandering them. However, I never got around to it, and though I typically wirewrap beads, having decided by this time that what I was doing was wirewrapping, and pendants are a very traditional object for this approach. (Which is why these are amongst the few necklaces I've made with pendants—it's not generally a look I like.)

Therefore, some care has to be exercised in wirewrapping it, particularly with sharp edge square wire. At the time, however, I seem to recall worrying a lot more about whether the tigertail would damage the amber beads. My conclusion is that it doesn't, since it's plastic sheathed.

These two necklaces follow the chip'n’round format, more or less, excepting large amber beads substitute for the ‘round’ pattern near the bottom, and pendants for a large focal beads. See the page on the amber fantasies for more about this pattern.

Amber, sterling. Probably made in the early to mid 90s.

Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.