How to Get Started Making Sterling Silver Jewelry

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By Kristina Jensen
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Artisan Thai Silver Flower Pendant

It's exciting and challenging to make sterling silver jewelry. Sterling silver, also called .925 silver and .925 sterling silver, makes lovely necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings and anklets. The silver color complements certain stones and colors very well. Get started making sterling silver jewelry by following these tips.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Sterling silver jewelry findings
Beads
Precious metal clay (PMC) supplies
Sterling silver wire, tubing, or sheet
Jewelry making tools
Jewelry making forms
Jewelry supply organizers

Step 1

Get started making sterling silver jewelry by learning how to wire wrap silver wire. Wire wrapping techniques will teach you how to make your own chains, make a perfect loop (a very handy technique for all jewelry designers), make your own jewelry findings, and do many more jewelry crafting techniques.
Step 2

Learn how to do wire sculpture, an elaborate decorative technique using sterling silver wire wire. The jewelry is beautiful and is great to use to start up a handcrafted jewelry selling business to market your artisan necklaces, pendants, bracelets, and earrings.
Step 3

Make sterling silver jewelry by learning to work with precious metal clay. This process involves molding clay that has been mixed with small sterling silver particles. Once you mold the clay, you heat it, and the result is a molded piece of sterling silver that's absolutely gorgeous, with a look that's rustic, artistic and elegant.
Step 4

Make sterling silver beaded jewelry. Bali silver beads and Thai Hill Tribe silver beads are handcrafted sterling silver beads of ornate and rustic designs that complement so many looks. The Karen Hill Tribe in Thailand also makes delightful pendants and spacer beads. A large selection of intricate pendants are also offered by Balinese silversmith artisans for making sterling silver jewelry.
Step 5

Design your necklaces, rings, earrings, and bracelets with the semi-precious stones, cabochons, and beads that go well with sterling silver. Deep or light purple amethyst and dark red garnet as well as turquoise and coral look splendid next to sterling silver. Black onyx and other black stones provide vivid contrast. Pale pink pearls tend to work very nicely with sterling silver.
Step 6

Purchase supplies from a local jewelry supply store, or order jewelry supplies online. Be sure to buy jewelry findings (clasps, beading wire, ear wires, and other jewelry "hardware" parts). Don't forget any equipment you may need to bend, solder, shape, hammer, and polish your sterling silver sheet, wire, beads, pendants, or other materials. For wire wrapping, for example, you'll need flush cutters, flat pliers, and round nose pliers. For precious metal clay (PMC), you'll need shaping tools, punches, blades, etc. To give sterling silver that dark finish, you'll want oxidizers. And you may need lapidary tools if you really get into shaping stones.
Step 7

Learn how to use your jewelry supplies and jewelry making equipment. Take classes in jewelry making techniques. Teach yourself to work with sterling silver from online tutorials. It takes time and patience, but the rewards are immense. Before you know it, you'll be making sterling silver jewelry that's as professional as that of other artisan jewelers.

Comments

digupstuff said

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on 1/29/2009 Oooo, thank you for that copper tip! I plan on trying this out one day when I can afford to get all of the stuff that I need to get started. I think I'd be really good at making silver jewelry! I have a passion for making jewelry, although I don't know where it comes from. LOL! :D