Runes Necklace - The Process

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The Runes Necklace is a collaborative piece between SÆ-RIMA and Bluebell Lane Jewellery, representing the four elements using Anglo-Saxon runes.

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Here is a little look in to the processes that we have explored to create this unique piece, with a step by step of how each necklace is made.

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The Runes Necklace is made using Silver Clay, which is a very tactile way of working with silver. Using very fine particles of silver which have been recycled from the insides of computers and mixed with organic binders and water they form a clay much like any other.

This can be sculpted, moulded and pressed in to, which is why we knew it would be perfect for creating this piece.

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We started off by creating a replica of what we wanted using a mouldable wax, which when left alone sets in to strong block. 

From this we made a mould which in theory we would just press the silver clay in to, so that each piece would be identical.

This would have been a great method to use, however we just couldn’t get the wax original to look as we wanted it.

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We then moved on to working directly with the clay, using a much simpler method of rolling it out and drawing in to it. This is where Runes Mark 2 was born and although we loved that each piece would would be free hand and completely unique, the harshness of the lines still wasn’t quite right.

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At this point we got a bit stuck and did some serious head scratching! 

Late on a Friday night, we thought maybe we should just order a tiny stamp that we can just imprint on each piece with the exact design. 

Although this would have worked like a dream, we wanted to do as much in house as we could, and we still wanted each piece to be one of kind…

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So one day, while pottering around the studio, I had the idea to make each symbol individually, and solder an earring back on to them to work as a kind of handle. 

These ‘handles’ could then slot in to a piece of hard wax, to essentially create a stamp.

The beauty of doing it like this, is that each symbol can swivel and move up and down slightly, therefore making each piece one of a kind, but the spacing between them remains consistent, so the overall aesthetic doesn’t change.

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Once we had this figured out, the rest of the process was fairly straight forward. So let’s take a little look at how each of the Runes necklaces is created..!

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Step One: Rolling out the Clay

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Using a couple of old pillow boxes to ensure an even depth, the clay is rolled out onto a acetate sheet using a lovely round green pencil and some olive to prevent it sticking

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Each piece is then cut to size, allowing for shrinkage when it gets fired.

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Each piece is gently pressed in to with the stamp, leaving the Runes left behind.

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After each piece is cut to size and stamped, it then needs to air dry for about 24 hours before being fired.

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Firing Silver Clay is very exciting!

Essentially you are turning this super fragile piece of dried clay in to metal!

As you fire it, the water and organic binders evaporate, and as you near the end of this process, the silver starts to reveal itself, and gets really shiny!

After firing, it is then quenched in some cold water, and you get the satisfying clink of metal hitting the bottom of the water bowl! Magic!

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After firing, the piece is a sort of milky white colour, so I use a brass wire brush and burnisher to really bring out the shine of the silver.

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Now that the main part of the pendent is complete, it’s time to add the loop and hoop that will attach the pendent to the chain.

They are simply soldered on to the top of each piece, before being pickled to remove the fire scale, and then heading in to the barrel tumbler. This polishes them up, and also really helps to strengthen them.

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Finally, the chain is added, and voila! The Runes Necklace is complete!

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The Runes Necklace is available to buy through the  SÆ-RIMA website