How to Make an Amethyst Necklace
Quartz is a very common mineral that comes in a variety of colors. One of the most striking of these is the amethyst, which is a purple quartz. If you have a small piece of natural amethyst either collected or received as a gift, you may consider turning it into jewelry. While there are many ways to put stones into settings, the simplest and least expensive method for making an amethyst into an attractive necklace is to use jewelry wire to turn your amethyst piece into a pendant.
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Instructions
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Measure the approximate circumference of your stone. Multiply this measurement by at least seven, then cut a piece of jewelry wire to this length. It is better to have excess wire, which you can remove later, than to have a wire that is too short. Silver and copper-colored wire go very well with amethyst; choose other colors for a personal touch. You will wrap this wire around the stone several times, so the exact length that you need will vary depending upon the size and shape of your stone.
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Put the amethyst in the middle of the wire. Using your fingers, gently wrap the wire around the amethyst in opposite directions, with one end of the wire moving towards the top of the gem and the other towards the bottom. Once you have a few loops of wire, tighten them by holding the amethyst in your fingers and pulling on the wire with a pliers. Don't grip the wire too hard, or you will dent it, which is unattractive. This process is sometimes easier with two jewelry pliers, which helps you grip and pull the wire more tightly. Hold the wire that is looped around the stone with one pliers, then pull a loose end with the other, tightening the loop.
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Wrap the wire around the amethyst until it feels secure. As you wrap, keep using the pliers to pull the wire tight. Concentrate one end of the wire towards the top of the stone. Be artistic with the other end. You can wrap it in loose or decorative spirals around the stone, make several tight loops around the middle, or make several irregular loops around the crystal if it is very irregular or composed of several crystals formed together.
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Bend the top wire into a loop. Bend the excess wire at a right angle. Hold the loop in your fingers or with a pliers, then grip the excess wire with another pliers. Wrap the end of the loop several times with the excess wire, keeping the loops of the wrapping as small and tight as possible.
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Cut off any excess wire. Wire cutters sometimes leave a sharp edge, so you may want to sand the ends of the wire down slightly to make them more attractive.
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String the amethyst pendant onto a chain or piece of cord for jewelry, then tie the ends or add a clasp. You can also string beads onto the necklace that compliment the amethyst, such as real or glass pearls or colored beads. Choosing soft colors for any beads you use will make the amethyst stand out more.
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Tips & Warnings
You can also make a hanger for an amethyst by drilling a hole through it with a diamond-tipped drill, then threading a wire through.
References
- Photo Credit Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images
