Howlite is a fairly inexpensive stone available most often in the form of stone beads. It is regularly dyed to resemble lapis lazuli. However, I like the look of howlite in its natural form which is a chalky white with veins of gray. Add silver, and you have a great combination.
In the design pictured, I combined a number of techniques used in other projects previously posted on this site along with sterling silver chain, wire, plate, and howlite beads.
To make this necklace, I used the following:
18 inch sterling figaro chain
A few inches of 20 gage sterling round wire
3 sterling head pins
24 gage sterling plate
3 6mm howlite beads
2 4mm howlite beads
round nosed pliers
bent nosed pliers
wire cutters
metal shears
jeweler’s files
ball peen hammer
anvil
dremel with drill bit
1. First, I cut a 1 x 1 inch piece of sterling plate and drilled 3 holes, evenly spaced, on one side and 2 holes in the corners on the other side of the plate.
2. I used the round file in my set of jeweler’s files to smooth the inside of the drilled holes.
3. Next, I textured the plate using the ball peen hammer, anvil, and the same procedure as described in my Easy Cuff Bracelet. 4. Then, I cut the chain in half, and I used the Bead & Wire Chain technique to attach a 6mm bead onto the end of each chain and also to each of the holes I put in the corners of my hammered plate.
5. Finally, I added the other beads to the 3 holes drilled on the opposite side of the plate. I put the 6mm bead in the middle and the two 4mm beads on either side. I attached these beads using sterling head pins and just wrapped the pins around themselves.
Named after Henry How of Nova Scotia, who discovered it in 1868, howlite is not as popular as some other stones such as amethyst, rose quartz, or peridot. But, I really like how it looks with silver. There is just enough gray veining to match the color of silver, and there is also a nice contrast between the predominate white color in this stone and the shiny gray color of the metal. It is found in deposits of borax and mainly comes from California, though it has also been found in Nova Scotia. Here are a few links that include some interesting facts and myths about howlite.
Bright New Dawn - All kinds of "new age" info with a sprinkling of chemistry data is included here.
Minerology Database - This data base has a whole page of scientific information about howlite.
Here's a printer friendly copy of this file.
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