(Components list at bottom of page)

by: Dwyn Tomlinson

In the world of horse racing, you can win big if you can accurately guess which horses will take the first three positions, known as "win," "place," and "show," in a gambling device known as a trifecta. The whole point of gambling on horses, and, for that matter, on anything, is absolutely lost on me - and while many people have tried to explain it to me, after a few seconds I am reduced to nodding politely and looking for a way to escape. I'd rather tackle string theory than "overs," "unders," and "wise guys moving the line."

So this particular Trifecta is not a gamble at all, but a sure thing!

This is a triple strand necklace combo - which can also be separated and worn as single necklaces or two-piece combos.

I have trouble with triple strand necklaces, getting the strands the right length, so that they hang right. I was also having trouble finding a clasp for this one, so I finally resorted to cheating - I made 3 necklaces, and put extender chains on them, so that I can tweak the lengths to get them right. Right now, I have left the chains, but when I am confident that I have the lengths right, i.e. after I wear it a few times, I will make them all the same length and dangle a leftover pearl on the end of each one for a more finished look.

Finished length is about 20 inches (for the first piece.)

Tip - the Swarovski pearls have a hole that is an "innie" on one side and an "outie" on the other. It is easier to thread into the innie. They are that way because they are made and hung vertically - which makes the coating tend to migrate downward at the hole, just a smidgeon.

These are three very simple pieces by themselves. Together, they are tres fantastique!

The first piece is Indian Blood Stone and one of the huge Swarovski Divine Rock shapes. The Divine Rock is supported with a 1.5 inch piece of chain threaded through the hole, and the end links threaded on the Softflex. The Rock is Silver Shadow Crystal, but the Black Diamond 4 mm crystals accent it perfectly. The 4 mm bicones are strung 1 every third bead of the Indian Bloodstone, with the exception of the last segment, which is 4 Bloodstone beads. I made a point of cutting all the strands and sorting out the Bloodstone beads, using the dark green ones at the front, and then working my way back to redder ones at the back as I ran out of the dark green.

The second piece is the Swarovski pearls in Copper. The larger pearls are in the center, 9 of them, with a Black Diamond bicone between them - the necklace carries on with the smaller pearls to the back - 21 to a side.

The third piece is the Amazonite, alternating with a pearl and a bicone, outward from the center. I cut the strand of Amazonite in the center, and restrung out from there, as it seems to me, someone else had already taken the trouble to sort them and string them.

Components Clicking on components links will open a new window so that you don't lose this page.
	Qty: 3	96096070 Findings - Clasps - Lobster - Large Lobster Claw - Gold-filled (1)	Price: $ 5.95 each	In Stock
	Qty: 6	96096052 Findings - Crimps - 2 mm Crimp Tubes - Gold-filled (25) (2 per piece)	Price: $ 4.90 per 25	In Stock
	Qty: 6	helcbc040gf Findings - Crimps - 4 mm Crimp Covers - Gold-filled (10) (2 per piece)	Price: $ 6.40 per 10	In Stock
	Qty: 3	ss040 Findings - Jumprings - 5 mm Soldered Round Jumpring - Gold-filled (1) (for each piece - to attach clasp)	Price: $ 0.33 each	In Stock
		961ext01930gld Softflex (tm) Beading Wire - 30 ft .019 (Medium) - Extreme 24k Gold (Spool) (about 24 inches per piece.)	Price: $ 44.10 per Spool	In Stock
	Qty: 8	96035304 Sterling Chain - 2.6 mm Cable Chain - Gold-filled (Inch) (1.5 - 2 inches to hang Rock, approx 2 inches per each piece as chain extender to hook clasp to.)	Price: $ 0.99 per Inch	In Stock
	Qty: 38	s23862 Stone Beads - 12 mm Round - Indian Blood Stone (strand) (I got 3 strands, so I could pick and choose the colours I wanted.)	Price: $ 9.60 per strand	Sorry, Out of Stock
		s24723 Stone Beads - Top Drilled Irregular Tumbled Rectangles - Amazonite (strand) (I used 33 pieces - I have some left over from the strand.)	Price: $ 15.00 per strand	Sorry, Out of Stock
		27753011283215 Swarovski Elements Bead - 4 mm Faceted Bicone (5301) - Black Diamond (36) (for all three - 1) 16 2) 10 3)22)	Price: $ 7.35 per 36	In Stock
	Qty: 9	27758101220001 Swarovski Elements Pearl - 10 mm Round Pearl (5810) - Copper Pearl (10) (For piece 2.)	Price: $ 6.99 per 10	In Stock
		27758101136159 Swarovski Elements Pearl - 8 mm Round Pearl (5810) - Copper Pearl (strand 25) (For piece 2 and 3. 2) 42 3) 22)	Price: $ 8.80 per strand 25	In Stock
	Qty: 1	34761911062001 Swarovski Elements Pendant - 48 mm Divine Rock (6191) - Crystal Silver Shadow (1) (for 1st piece)	Price: $ 66.99 each	In Stock