Need Some Information About Resin For Making Pendants

Q: I am going to try my hand at making some pendants as a side-business. What I want to do is make something like a clear-domed keychain pendants, except I would use round or rectangular sterling silver engravable blanks. I thought about using some sort of epoxy like you buy at the hardware store, but I'm sure there are better suited resins for this type of thing (which is why I am asking here!) Or maybe resins are not what I want? (again, total newbie at this) So my needs are, in order of importance: * will adhere to metal (silver), and would 'glue' anything I put on the pendant and create a protective layer * once cured it is durable and scratch resistent, so it could resist wear-and-tear from daily use if it were part of a bracelet for example, or on a keychain * cures to be optically clear * viscosity is thick enough to not run off the sides, but thin enough to let gravity spread it into an even layer * tintable (if possible?) * doesn't require any special equipment to bake/cure

A:Even

fused (melted) glass would scratch in use as a charm/pendant from a bracelet. All resins would be softer than glass. You might experiment with the Hughes brand epoxies. They have one for lapidary use that is clear. Also, photo/UV cured resins are convenient to use and can be had in many viscosities (thickness). If any items to be placed under thsi dome are flat, using an epoxiy or resin to to attach a qurtz or sapphire cap (as is used in opal triplets) would likely give you the best results for long term durability. At one time, there was an opal dealer in Spencer utah selling finished quartz caps. Or, you could join a Gem & Minerla club and possibly learn to make your own.