Instructions for Wire Wrapped Gemstone Jewelry

Gemstones can become artisan jewelry with wire wrapping

Wire-wrapped jewelry offers endless design possibilities. Wire is a relatively inexpensive means of securing gemstones into pendants, earrings or bracelets, and its malleability makes it perfect for creating unique designs. Wire for jewelry making comes in different colors, strengths and materials. You can choose gold or sterling silver if you want to use precious metals with your gemstone, or you can choose copper or other metal wire that matches in color with the gemstones you will be using.

Things You'll Need

• Gemstones
• Jewelry wire
• Wire cutters
• Round-nosed pliers
• Flat-nosed pliers
• Scotch or painters tape
• Felt-tip marker
• Ruler
• Metal file

Instructions

1. Determine your jewelry design. The design will dictate the amount of jewelry wire you need. Consider the color wire that you want in your design as well. Decide where the bail, the loop that the jewelry will hang from, will be positioned. You can use a piece of painter's tape about 1/4-inch wide and mark positions on it with a felt-tip pen, then use it as a practice piece to determine if your design will work. Wrap the tape around the gemstone to make sure you have enough wire to create the design you want.

2. Make a thick wire wrap by first wrapping several pieces of jewelry wire together. Lay the pieces parallel and next to each other and tape the ends to hold them in place. Then use another piece of jewelry wire to wrap the pieces together about every 1/2 inch or so, depending on how much pliability you want in the wires once they are wrapped.

3. Bend the wire around the gemstone using the round-nosed pliers for soft curves or the flat-nosed pliers for sharp bends. You can separate multiple pieces of wrapped wire in different directions to hold the gemstone and to add design elements. Or you can wrap a single wire multiple times around a gemstone to hold the gemstone in place.

4. Create the bail with the end of a single wire by wrapping it once or twice around one jaw of the round-nosed pliers to make a loop. Or, if you have used multiple parallel-wrapped wires you can separate wires on each side of the bundle and bend them together to create a loop at the top of the gemstone.

5. Bend any remaining wire ends to the back side of the gemstone or cut the excess wire with the wire cutters. If you have sharp ends, bend the end of the wire under itself and crimp it with the flat-nosed pliers to create a blunt end, or file the wire end with a metal file so it won't catch on clothing.

Tips & Warnings

• The most important part of wire-wrapping gemstones is to make sure the stone is firmly held in place by the wire. As long as the gemstone is held securely, the design elements are unlimited.

References

• Tumbleweed Glass: How to Wire Wrap a Cabachon
• Witty Living: Wire Wrap Jewelry
• The Sea Glass Journal: A Simple Wire Wrap Sea Glass Pendant