How to Wire Wrap Semiprecious Gemstones for Jewelry Making
Wire wrapping is a way to create a setting for a semiprecious gemstone when making jewelry. Jewelry wire comes in many shapes and gauges. The gauge is the thickness of the wire, which varies from the thinnest of 26-gauge to the thickest at 8-gauge. While round and half-round wire are the most-often used shapes, you can also get square, triangular, flat and patterned wire. Flat wire gives a semiprecious gemstone an elegant look.
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Instructions
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Match the semiprecious gemstone to the kind of wire that complements the stone. Jewelry wire comes in gold, silver, copper, stainless steel and gold plated. Cut two pieces of 20-gauge flat jewelry wire 12 inches long. Cross the wires in the center and twist five times.
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Place the bottom of the gemstone so the twist goes from the front to the back. There are two wires facing the front and two wires facing the back of the stone. Pull one front wire to the left and one front wire to the right. Pull one back wire to the left and one back wire to the right.
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Bring the left back wire and the left front wire to the side of the stone and twist together two times. Bring the right back wire and the right front wire to the side of the stone and twist together twice. This creates a cradle for the stone.
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Bring the right and left front wires to the center of the gemstone and twist the wires together twice. In the back bring the wires together in the back center of the gemstone and twist the wires together twice. Make sure the wire is tight around the gemstone.
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Take the right front and back wires up to the top right side of the gemstone and twist the two wires together twice. Take the left front and back wires up to the top left side of the gemstone and twist the wires together twice.
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Bring a right wire and a left wire to the top center of the gemstone, twist them together and bend the wires so they are pointing up. Take a pair of needle nose pliers and bend the ends down to make an outward loop. With a pair of pliers, mash the wires together under the loop.
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Loop the remaining wire around the mashed-together wires at the bottom of the outward loop. Trim the wire and tuck the ends under the back of the loop. Do the same with remaining left wire. This creates a loop so the wire-wrapped gemstone can be worn on a chain as a pendant.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure the loops in the wire are small so the gemstone doesn't slip out.
