Getting Started with this Anissa Diamond Thing
Alright, so I finally got around to trying this little project I had in mind, something I just mentally tagged as the ‘anissa diamond’ setup. Wasn’t really following any official guide, more like piecing together an idea I saw somewhere ages ago. Seemed simple enough at first glance.
First step was gathering the supplies. I didn’t want to spend much, you know how it is. Just wanted to see if I could actually do it. So, I ordered a couple of basic silver-plated pendant settings online – the kind with little prongs already there. And a small bag of sparkly cubic zirconia stones, the fake diamond looking things. Picked a size that looked like it should fit the setting. Emphasis on ‘should’.
The Actual Process – Fiddly Bits!
Okay, got my stuff laid out on the table. Looked simple. Pendant base, shiny stone. How hard could it be? Famous last words, right?
Picking up that tiny stone with tweezers was the first challenge. Thing was slippery! Dropped it twice on the carpet. Spent a good ten minutes crawling around looking for it the second time. My knees aren’t what they used to be, let me tell you.
Then, placing it into the setting. Had to get it centered just right. Nudged it this way, that way. Finally got it sitting pretty.
Next up, bending those little prongs over the stone to hold it in place. The instructions I vaguely remembered seeing online made it look like a gentle push would do it. Nope. These things were stiffer than I thought. Used the tweezers, tried a small pair of pliers very gently. Worried I’d either scratch the stone or snap a prong off.
- Position the stone (the easy part, relatively).
- Try bending one prong. Okay, that kinda worked.
- Try bending the opposite prong to hold it steady.
- Fumble, stone pops out slightly. Reset.
- Bend the other two prongs, trying to keep even pressure.
It took way longer than I expected. My fingers started cramping up. Had to take a break, make a cup of tea, and complain to the cat about how delicate this work was. She wasn’t impressed.
End Result – Not Too Shabby?
After much fiddling and a bit of quiet cursing, I got the prongs bent down. They aren’t perfectly even if you look really close, and one might be a tiny bit looser than the others, but hey, the stone is in! It’s secure. It sparkles.
Held it up to the light. You know what? For a first attempt, messing around with cheap parts, it doesn’t look half bad. Gives you a bit of satisfaction, making something with your own hands, even if it’s simple. It’s not a professional job, wouldn’t sell it or anything, but it’s a finished piece. That’s the main thing. Learned a bit, mostly about my lack of patience and dexterity, haha. Might even try making another one, maybe slightly bigger next time.
