Très GSG

I name this one "Très GSG", because a typical GSG has 2 rows, this has 3 rows, so "very" GSG:-).   I know, the earrings look diamond-shaped, but they are none the less still GSG 3-by-3.

This set is a long way coming.  It's designed and made specifically for my dear friend Milly, who likes the colors of my Technicolor Bumble Bees bracelet, but wants a pattern bit more dense, about 3/4" wide, and suitable for daily wear.

Knowing our "day job" tends to require much time at the keyboard and frequent trips thru airport check points, I ruled out any rope or chunky pattern.  And it needs to be flexible, definitely flat in profile, enough weight so that you'll notice in case it's off the wrist, but not too much that you're constantly reminded of it being there.  Right, so that ruled out Dragonscale also.

After much net-surfing, I eventually decided to go with the vertical pattern of Half Persian 3-in-1 Sheet 6, which is essentially GSG.  Come to think of it, I suppose this is more of a GSG 3-columns, than 3-rows?  Anyway, the main body of bracelet and earrings was straight forward to weave, but the whole set took me a while to fit all the details together.  The fish toggle is one of a dozen incarnations before I settle on this version.  Nope, there is no religious connotations, at least I wasn't thinking of or planning on any such thing. I just prefer the double twist at the fish tail which matches the GSG pattern.  The wave toggle bar fits nicely with the fish motif; when the wave bar is perpendicular (to the fish body), it looks like a fish resting among sea weeds; when it's parallel, the fish is swimming in water.  OK, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it:-)

Specs:

Bracelet: All niobium (Nb) rings from TRL, WD 1.2mm, ID 6.6mm, except for rings at clasp points are 1.2mm, ID 3.83mm.  Toggle is handmade in 1.6mm full-hard Nb wire.  Bracelet width is just under 3/4"; total length is 7 1/2" while clasped on.

Earrings: Rings are grade 5 titanium (Ti) also from TRL, WD 1.2mm, ID 6.2mm. I switched to Ti rings for earrings because they are much lighter than Nb, easier on ears.  Ear wires are handmade from 1.0mm Nb wire, dotted with green AB seed beads.

The whole set was put together while in Nb's natural color, then anodized after all assembled. Here's what the bracelet looked like before the color bath.  A subtle, understated, almost hematite kind of color.  Not bad, huh?  I really liked it.  My SIL said, out of all the metal colors she'd seen so far, this is by far her favorite.  Yep, same here.  Maybe I'll make another one and leave it in its natural dark gray...

Interesting note on the earrings, the grade 5 Ti rings are anodized without chemical etching, so the colors are more muted than the Nb ear wires or the bracelet.  Nothing that affects the final appearance, just a fun fact, for geeks like me:-)