My First Metalsmithing Project

Turns out to be very uncomfortable to wear, and is still not finished, but I was determined to cram as many techniques into it as possible while I had time to talk to an instructor about it at the Florida Society of Goldsmiths' 12-hour (4 weeks, one night a week) begininning metalsmithing class.

My objectives for this piece were:
1) must be all cold-connect
2) must not harm the stone
3) stone must be easily removable
4) meet all the instructor's requirements

Her requirements for the project:

1) make use of a cutout in sheet metal
2) 3 types of connections
3) 2 types of textures
4) must be a pendant
5) must involve at least two pieces

Copper frame box, sterling silver brackets to be permanently riveted with sterling rivets, housing a gemmy green tourmaline crystal that will be eventually neatly wired into place instead of the temporary work you see here. Bail is sterling silver attached to the piece with sterling wire, balled at the ends with a creme brule torch. I'm considering putting well-placed kinks in that wire to shorten the piece up a bit, and after a good polish, coating the copper in polyurathene.

I originally designed a lid, cold-connect hinges, and a little cold-connect latch, but the instructor wasn't having any of THAT...