How to Make Baltic Amber Necklaces

Amber is fossilized tree resin that is frequently used in jewelry. It is occasionally considered to be a gemstone although it is not actually mineralized. Baltic amber is any amber from the Baltic region which comprises about 80 percent of the known deposits of amber. The following steps explain how to make an 18-inch, 5-strand amber necklace.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Amber cube beads, about 27
• Amber clear window beads, about 24
• Amber clear teardrop beads, about 16
• Amber/tan round-cut beads, about 9
• Amber/tan window beads, about 6
• Amber bead mix
• Silver S-hook closure
• Silver crimp beads
• Beading wire
• Needle nose pliers
• Wire cutters
• Ruler
• Jewelry design lap desk

1. Buy the basic materials at a hobby store. Look for amber bead, which are pre-drilled and shaped, as amber must be worked carefully in regards to heat. It bends at almost the same temperature that the exposed edges caramelize. Amber beads are readily available at many stores that sell raw gemstones.
2. Cut five 18-inch long pieces of beading wire and use the crimp beads to attach one end of each wire to the S-hook closure. The strands can be made of graduated lengths if desired. One the beads have been threaded, use crimp beads to attach all five strands to the other end of the S-hook closure.
3. Thread the beads in the desired patterns and repeat as needed until the desired length has been attained on each strand. Bead the first strand with six e beads, a clear window bead and three e beads.
4. Use four e beads, a small rectangle bead, two e beads, a cube bead, four e beads, a rectangle bead, three e beads, a cube, three e beads, an opaque window bead, three e beads and a cube for the second strand's pattern.
5. Bead the third strand in the following pattern: four e beads, a clear window bead, a rectangle bead, a round bead with opaque slices, a rectangle bead and a clear window bead.
6. Make the fourth strand as follows: three e beads, a cube bead, an e bead, a rectangle bead, an e bead and a cube bead.
7. Build the fifth strand with three e beads, a rectangle bead, five e beads, a rectangle bead, four e beads, a rectangle bead, an e bead, a teardrop bead, an e bead, a rectangle bead and a teardrop bead.