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ABOUT JEWELRY

Jewelry is a form of personal adornment, manifesting itself as necklaces, rings,

brooches, earrings, and bracelets. Jewelry may be made from any material, usually gemstones,

precious metals, or shells. Factors affecting the choice of materials include cultural differences

and the availability of the materials. Jewelry may be appreciated because of its material

properties, its patterns, or for meaningful symbols. Jewelry differs from other items of personal

adornment in that it has no other purpose than to look appealing. Items such as belts and

handbags are considered to be accessories rather than jewelry.

The word jewelryis derived from the word jewel, which was anglicized from the

Old French "jouel" circa the 13th century. Further tracing leads back to the Latin word "jocale",

meaning plaything. Jewelry is one of the oldest forms of body adornment; recently-found

100,000-year-old beads made from Nassarius shells are thought to be the oldest known

jewellery.

Jewelry is sometimes regarded as a way of showing wealth and might also

possess some minimal functionality, such as holding a garment together or keeping hair in place.

It has from very early times been regarded as a form of personal adornment. The first pieces of

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jewelry were made from natural materials, such as bone, animal teeth, shell, wood and carved

stone. Some jewelry throughout the ages may have specifically been as an indication of a social

group. More exotic jewelry is often for wealthier people, with its rarity increasing its value. Due

to its personal nature and its indication of social class, some cultures established traditions of

burying the dead with their jewelry.

Jewelry has been made to adorn nearly every body part, from hairpins to toe rings

and many more jewelry. While traditional jewelry is usually made with gemstones and precious

metals, such as silver or gold, there is also a growing demand for jewelry where design and

creativity is prized above material value. In addition, there is the less costly jewelry, made from

lower value materials and often mass-produced. Other variations include wire sculpture (wrap)

jewelry , using anything from base metal wire with rock tumbled stone to precious metals and

precious gemstones.

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FORM AND FUNCTION

Jewelry has been used for a number of reasons:

Currency , wealth display and storage,

Functional use (such as clasps, pins and buckles)

Symbolism (to show membership or status)

Protection (in the form of amulets and magical wards),[4]

Artistic display

Most cultures have at some point had a practice of keeping large amounts of

wealth stored in the form of jewelry. Numerous cultures move wedding dowries in the form of

jewelry or create jewelry as a means to store or display coins. Alternatively, jewelry has been

used as a currency or trade good; an example being the use of slave beads.

Many items of jewelry, such as brooches and buckles, originated as purely

functional items, but evolved into decorative items as their functional requirement diminished.

Jewelry can also be symbolic of group membership, as in the case of the Christian

crucifix or Jewish Star of David, or of status, as in the case of chains of office, or the Western

practice of married people wearing a wedding ring.

Wearing of amulets and devotional medals to provide protection or ward off evil

is common in some cultures; these may take the form of symbols (such as the ankh), stones,

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plants, animals, body parts (such as the Khamsa), or glyphs (such as stylised versions of the

Throne Verse in Islamic art).

Although artistic display has clearly been a function of jewelry from the very

beginning, the other roles described above tended to take primacy. It was only in the late 19th

century, with the work of such masters as Peter Carl Fabergé and René Lalique, that art began to

take primacy over function and wealth. This trend has continued into modern times, expanded

upon by artists such as Robert Lee Morris, Ed Levin, and Alberto Repossi.

Kenyan man wearing tribal beads

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MATERIALS AND METHOD

Anticlastic raised sterling bracelet.

In creating jewelry, gemstones, coins, or other precious items are often used,

and they are typically set into precious metals. Alloys of nearly every metal known have been

encountered in jewelry. Bronze, for example, was common in Roman times. Modern fine jewelry

usually includes gold, white gold, platinum, palladium, titanium, or silver. Most American and

European gold jewelry is made of an alloy of gold, the purity of which is stated in karats,

indicated by a number followed by the letter K.

American gold jewelry must be of at least 10K purity (41.7% pure gold), (though

in the UK the number is 9K (37.5% pure gold) and is typically found up to 18K (75% pure gold).

Higher purity levels are less common with alloys at 22 K (91.6% pure gold), and 24 K (99.9%

pure gold) being considered too soft for jewelry use in America and Europe. These high purity

alloys, however, are widely used across Asia, the Middle East and Africa Platinum

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alloys range from 900 (90% pure) to 950 (95.0% pure). The silver used in jewelry is usually

sterling silver, or 92.5% fine silver. In costume jewelry, stainless steel findings are sometimes

used.

Bead embroidery design.

Other commonly used materials include glass, such as fused-glass or enamel;

wood, often carved or turned; shells and other natural animal substances such as bone and ivory;

natural clay; polymer clay; and even plastics. Hemp and other twines have been used as well to

create jewelry that has more of a natural feel. However, any inclusion of lead or lead solder will

cause an English Assay office (the building which gives English jewelry its stamp of approval,

the Hallmark) to destroy the piece.

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Beads are frequently used in jewelry. These may be made of glass, gemstones,

metal, wood, shells, clay and polymer clay. Beaded jewelry commonly encompasses necklaces,

bracelets, earrings, belts and rings. Beads may be large or small; the smallest type of beads used

are known as seed beads, these are the beads used for the "woven" style of beaded jewelry.

Another use of seed beads is an embroidery technique where seed beads are sewn onto fabric

backings to create broad collar neck pieces and beaded bracelets. Bead embroidery, a popular

type of handwork during the Victorian era, is enjoying a renaissance in modern jewelry making.

Beading, or beadwork, is also very popular in many African cultures.

Advanced glass and glass bead making techniques by Murano and Venetian

glassmasters developed crystalline glass, enamelled glass (smalto), glass with threads of gold

(goldstone), multicoloured glass (millefiori), milk-glass (lattimo), and imitation gemstones made

of glass. As early as the 13th century, Murano glass and Murano beads were popular.

Silversmiths, goldsmiths, and lapidaries methods include forging, casting,

soldering or welding, cutting, carving and "cold-joining" (using adhesives, staples and rivets to

assemble parts).

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DIAMONDS

Diamonds were first mined in India.[8] Pliny may have mentioned them, although

there is some debate as to the exact nature of the stone he referred to as Adamas; In 2005,

Australia, Botswana, Russia and Canada ranked among the primary sources of gemstone

diamond production.

The British crown jewels contain the Cullinan Diamond, part of the largest gem-quality rough

diamond ever found (1905), at 3,106.75 carats (621.35 g).Now popular in engagement rings, this

usage dates back to the marriage of Maximilian I to Mary of Burgundy in 1477.

Diamond Ring HD photo

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Other gemstones

Many precious and semiprecious stones are used for jewelry. Among them are:

Amber

Amber, an ancient organic gemstone, is composed of tree resin that has hardened over

time. The stone must be at least one million years old to be classified as amber, and some amber

can be up to 120 million years old.

Amethyst

Amethyst has historically been the most prized gemstone in the quartz family. It is

treasured for its purple hue, which can range in tone from light to dark.

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Spanish emerald and gold pendant at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Emerald

Emeralds are one of the three main precious gemstones (along with rubies and

sapphires) and are known for their fine green to bluish green colour. They have been treasured

throughout history, and some historians report that the Egyptians mined emerald as early as 3500

BC.

Jade

Jade is most commonly associated with the colour green but can come in a number of

other colours, as well. Jade is closely linked to Asian culture, history, and tradition, and is

sometimes referred to as the stone of heaven.

Jasper

Jasper is a gemstone of the chalcedony family that comes in a variety of colours.

Often, jasper will feature unique and interesting patterns within the coloured stone. Picture jasper

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is a type of jasper known for the colours (often beiges and browns) and swirls in the stone’s

pattern.

Quartz

Quartz refers to a family of crystalline gemstones of various colours and sizes.

Among the well-known types of quartz are rose quartz (which has a delicate pink colour), and

smoky quartz (which comes in a variety of shades of translucent brown). A number of other

gemstones, such as Amethyst and Citrine, are also part of the quartz family. Rutilated quartz is a

popular type of quartz containing needle-like inclusions.

Ruby

Rubies are known for their intense red colour and are among the most highly valued

precious gemstones. Rubies have been treasured for millennia. In Sanskrit, the word for ruby is

ratnaraj, meaning king of precious stones.

Sapphire

The most popular form of sapphire is blue sapphire, which is known for its medium to

deep blue colour and strong saturation. Fancy sapphires of various colours are also available. In

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the United States, blue sapphire tends to be the most popular and most affordable of the three

major precious gemstones (emerald, ruby, and sapphire).

Turquoise

Turquoise is found in only a few places on earth, and the world’s largest turquoise

producing region is the southwest United States. Turquoise is prized for its attractive colour,

most often an intense medium blue or a greenish blue, and its ancient heritage. Turquoise is used

in a great variety of jewelry styles. It is perhaps most closely associated with southwest and

Native American jewelry, but it is also used in many sleek, modern styles. Some turquoise

contains a matrix of dark brown markings, which provides an interesting contrast to the

gemstone’s bright blue colour.

Some gemstones (like pearls, coral, and amber) are classified as organic, meaning that

they are produced by living organisms. Others are inorganic, meaning that they are generally

composed of and arise from minerals.

Some gems, for example, amethyst, have become less valued as methods of

extracting and importing them have progressed. Some man-made gems can serve in place of

natural gems, such as cubic zirconia, which can be used in place of diamond.

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Metal finishes

An example of gold plated jewelry

For platinum, gold, and silver jewelry, there are many techniques to create finishes.

The most common are high-polish, satin/matte, brushed, and hammered. High-polished jewelry

is by far the most common and gives the metal a highly reflective, shiny look. Satin, or matte

finish reduces the shine and reflection of the jewelry and is commonly used to accentuate

gemstones such as diamonds. Brushed finishes give the jewelry a textured look and are created

by brushing a material (similar to sandpaper) against the metal, leaving "brush strokes."

Hammered finishes are typically created by using a soft, rounded hammer and hammering the

jewelry to give it a wavy texture.

Some jewelry is plated to give it a shiny, reflective look or to achieve a desired

colour. Sterling silver jewelry may be plated with a thin layer of 0.999 fine silver (a process

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known as flashing) or may be plated with rhodium or gold. Base metal costume jewelry may also

be plated with silver, gold, or rhodium for a more attractive finish.

Impact on society

Jewelry has been used to denote status. In ancient Rome, for instance, only certain

ranks could wear rings. Later, sumptuary laws dictated who could wear what type of jewelry,

again based on rank. Cultural dictates have also played a significant role. For example, the

wearing of earrings by Western men was considered effeminate in the 19th century and early

20th century. More recently, the display of body jewelry, such as piercings, has become a mark

of acceptance or seen as a badge of courage within some groups but is completely rejected in

others. Likewise, hip hop culture has popularised the slang term bling-bling, which refers to

ostentatious display of jewelry by men or women.

Conversely, the jewelry industry in the early 20th century launched a campaign

to popularise wedding rings for men, which caught on, as well as engagement rings for men,

which did not, going so far as to create a false history and claim that the practice had

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medieval roots. By the mid 1940s, 85% of weddings in the U.S. featured a double-ring

ceremony, up from 15% in the 1920s. Religion has also played a role: Islam, for instance,

considers the wearing of gold by men as a social taboo, and many religions have edicts against

excessive display. In Christianity, the New Testament gives injunctions against the wearing of

gold, in the writings of the apostles Paul and Peter. In Revelation 17, "the great whore" or false

religious system, is depicted as being "decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a

golden cup in her hand."

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Body modification

A Kayan girl in Northern Thailand.

Jewelry used in body modification is usually plain. The use of simple silver

studs, rings, and earrings predominates. Common jewelry pieces such as earrings are a form of

body modification, as they are accommodated by creating a small hole in the ear.

Padang women in Myanmar place large golden rings around their necks. From as

early as five years old, girls are introduced to their first neck ring. Over the years, more rings are

added. In addition to the twenty-plus pounds of rings on her neck, a woman will also wear just as

many rings on her calves too. At their extent, some necks modified like this can reach 10-

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15 inches long. The practice has obvious health impacts, however, and has in recent years

declined from cultural norm to tourist curiosity. Tribes related to the Paduang, as well as other

cultures throughout the world, use jewelry to stretch their earlobes or enlarge ear piercings. In

the Americas, labrets have been worn since before first contact by Innu and First Nations peoples

of the northwest coast. Lip plates are worn by the African Mursi and Sara people, as well as

some South American peoples.

In the late 20th century, the influence of modern primitivism led to many of these

practices being incorporated into western subcultures. Many of these practices rely on a

combination of body modification and decorative objects, thus keeping the distinction between

these two types of decoration blurred.

In many cultures, jewelry is used as a temporary body modifier, with, in some cases,

hooks or even objects as large as bike bars being placed into the recipient's skin. Although this

procedure is often carried out by tribal or semi-tribal groups, often acting under a trance during

religious ceremonies, this practise has seeped into western culture. Many extreme-jewellery

shops now cater to people wanting large hooks or spikes set into their skin. Most often, these

hooks are used in conjunction with pulleys to hoist the recipient into the air. This practice is said

to give an erotic feeling to the person and some couples have even performed their marriage

ceremony whilst being suspended by hooks.

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Jewelry market

According to a recent KPMG study the largest jewelry market is the United States

with a market share of 30.8%, Japan, India, China, and the Middle East each with 8 - 9%, and

Italy with 5%. The authors of the study predict a dramatic change in market shares by 2015,

where the market share of the United States will have dropped to around 25%, and China and

India will increase theirs to over 13%. The Middle East will remain more or less constant at 9%,

whereas Europe's and Japan's market share will be halved and become less than 4% for Japan,

and less than 3% for the biggest individual European countries, Italy and the UK.

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SEJARAH EMAS

Emas merupakan logam yang sangat istimewa. Warnanya yang menarik serta kesukaran

mendapatkannya menyebabkan ia dianggap bernilai oleh manusia. Selain daripada dijadikan

barang kemas emas juga menjadi penyimpan kekayaan yang paling unggul. Ini kerana ia tidak

boleh dibinasakan dan tidak akan hilang nilainya.

Emas mempunyai sejarah yang panjang dan kompleks. Sejak penemuan pertama emas, ia

menjadi satu simbol kemewahan dan jaminan kuasa. Emas penyebab obsesi di kalangan lelaki

dan Negara, memusnahkan segelintir peradaban dan memberi kuasa pada yang lain.

Penggalian arkeologi mencadangkan pengunaan emas bermula di timur tengah di mana

tamadun peradaban bermula. Barang kemas mesir tertua ditemui di dalam makam Permaisuri Pu-

Abi dari Ur di Sumeria dan contoh tertua barang kemas ditemui pada millenium ke-3 sebelum

masihi. Sepanjang abad, kebanyakan makam mesir diserbu tetapi makam Tutankhamen ditemui

tidak terusik oleh ahli arkeologi moden. Di dalamnya, koleksi emas dan barang kemas terbesar

dan termasuk keranda emas yang menunjukkan kualiti dan kemajuan pertukangan dan kerja

emas negeri mesir pada ketika itu (millennium ke-2).

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Empayar Parsi, sekarang Iran, kerap menggunakan hasil seni kerja emas sebagai

sebahagian daripada agama Zoroastrianism. Hasil seni kerja emas parsi adalah terkenal dengan

seni haiwan di mana telah diubah selepas arab menakluk kawasan tersebut pada kurun ke-7

selepas masihi.

Ketika Rom mula membangun, Bandar tersebut menarik tukang seni emas yang

berbakat di mana telah mencipta pelbagai variasi barang kemas. Selepas itu, Pengunaan emas di

rom berkembang ke perkakas rumah golongan bangsawan dan atasan. Pada kurun ke-3 selepas

masihi, warganegara Rom memakai rantai yang mempunyai syiling berlambangkan maharaja.

Ketika penyebaran Kristian di seluruh eropah, penduduk eropah menamatkan pengebumian si

mati bersama-sama barang kemas. Hasilnya, beberapa barang kemas terselamat abad

pertengahan kecuali barang kemas diraja dan gerombolan gereja.

Di Amerika, kemahiran peradaban pra-columbia di dalam pengunaan emas adalah maju

sebelum kedatangan orang sepanyol. Tukang Emas India telah menguasai kebanyakan teknik

yang diketahui oleh orang eropah kontemporari ketika kedatangan orang sepanyol. Mereka mahir

dengan kerongsang, penggranulan, tekanan dan pertukangan, tatah dalam dan cara acuan lilin.

Penakluk sepanyol mencairkan kebanyakan emas yang dirampas daripada penduduk daerah

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tersebut dan kebanyakan contoh peninggalan datang dari tapak penggalian tanah perkuburan.

Deposit emas terhebat dari masa tersebut adalah dari Andes dan Columbia.

Ketika hari perbatasan Amerika di mana perkhabaran penemuan emas di daerah

tersebut telah menyebabkan beribu peneroka baru yang mengambil risiko nyawa mencari emas.

Tera Sulung Emas berlaku di banyak negeri barat dan kejadian yang paling terkenal berlaku di

California Sutter’s Mill pada 1848. Di tempat lain, tera sulung emas berlaku di Australia pada

1851, Afrika Selatan pada 1884 dan di Kanada pada 1897.

Peningkatan taraf emas adalah untuk mengimbang ekonomi dunia, menetapkan bahawa

Negara harus menghadkan pengeluaran mata wang berdasarkan jumlah emas yang disimpan.

Great Britain adalah Negara pertama mengamalkan taraf emas pada 1821, diikuti oleh Negara

eropah pada 1870. Sistem tersebut kekal sehingga berakhirnya perang dunia pertama selepas

Amerika hanya Negara yang masih mengikuti taraf emas. Selepas peperangan, Negara lain hanya

dibenarkan menyimpan mata wang utama daripada emas. Kedatangan kemelesetan menandakan

berakhirnya pengeksportan emas pada 1930. Pada pertengahan abad ke-20, mata wang dollar

menggantikan emas dalam perdagangan antarabangsa.

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Program Bulion Helang Amerika dilancarkan pada 1986 dengan penjualan bulion emas

dan perak. Platinum telah di masukkan ke keluarga Bulion Helang Amerika pada 1997. Syiling

Bulion adalah syiling yang bernilaikan pada beratnya di dalam logam berharga yang spesifik

CONTOH BUATAN BARANG KEMAS (CINCIN)

Tulang sotong akan direka bentuk dan dipotong mengikut kehendak para pelanggan.

Pembentukan tulang sotong untuk dipotong.

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Tulang sotong yang sudah siap dipotong

Acuan yang sudah siap untuk di tuang dengan perak atau emas atau suasa.

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Proses melebur sehingga emas, perak dan suasa cair sehingga ia sesuai untuk dituang ke dalam acuan

Proses pembentukan cincin

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Sebentuk cincin telah terhasil

Bunga pakma

Bunga Pakma atau Rafflesia merupakan genus sejenis tumbuhan berbunga dengan

bunga yang besar, dan bunga Pakma spesies Rafflesia arnoldii merupakan yang terbesar di dunia

dengan saiz 91 cm (3 kaki) diameter, 1.9 cm (3/4 inci) tebal dengan berat 7 kilogram (15 lbs).

Bunga Pakma yang pertama telah direkodkan oleh Sir Stamford Raffles dan Dr Joseph Arnold

pada tahun 1816. Bunga Pakma spesies itu diberi nama Rafflesia arnoldii sempena nama mereka.

Bunga Pakma itu dijumpai di bandar Bengkulu (Bencoolen) di Sumatera. Bunga Pakma adalah

bunga rasmi negara Indonesia dan juga negeri Sabah di Malaysia.

Ciri

Rafflesia ialah tumbuhan yang aneh. Pada hakikatnya, apabila ia sudah kembang,

ia mengeluarkan bau yang teramat busuk, dan tumbuhan ini juga agak berat. Tidak seperti

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tumbuhan lain, rafflesia tidak mempunyai daun untuk memproses karbon dioksida dan cahaya

matahari bagi menghasilkan gula dan oksigen.

Rafflesia juga tidak mempunyai akar untuk menyerap air dan mineral dari tanah

untuk diproses sebagai protein. Apa yang ada cumalah tisu-tisu yang kelihatan seperti tiub-tiub

halus yang panjang memasuki tumbuhan perumah. Ini menunjukkan bahawa rafflesia adalah

sejenis parasit di mana ia tidak perlu manghasilkan nutrisinya sendiri. Ia hanya perlu menyerap

nutrisi tersebut dari perumahnya, di mana perumahnya juga adalah tumbuh-tumbuhan lain.

Rafflesia

Selalunya apa yang kita lihat adalah kelihatan seperti bunga yang besar. Ini

merupakan organ seks bunga ini, kadang-kala dilihat di tempat paling atas sesuatu tumbuhan

yang melingkar atau biasanya terdapat di mana-mana atas tanah yang agak lembap. Warna yang

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merah kecoklatan bagi kelopaknya, ditaburi dengan bintik-bintik putih menghasilkan bau yang

amat tidak menyenangkan, hampir sama dengan bau yang dikeluarkan daging atau bangkai yang

reput.

Sesetengah percaya bahawa bau busuk ini menarik perhatian lalat dan serangga lain

dan ini membantu dalam menyebarkan benih rafflesia ini. Agar benih ini dapat tumbuh dan

membesar, dijumpai bahawa lingkaran tumbuhan perumah mesti dirosakkan dengan apa cara

sekalipun bagi membolehkan tiub-tiub rafflesia itu dapat memasukkan benihnya ke dalam

tumbuhan perumah.

Kerosakan pada tumbuhan perumah boleh dihasilkan dengan cara dipijak oleh

haiwan. Benih-benih akan melekat pada tapak kaki haiwan yang lalu dan dipindahkan ke tempat

lain di mana benih ini akan mencari tumbuhan perumah yang boleh dijadikan tempat tinggal.

Walaubagaimanapun, ini tidak boleh dibuktikan. Didapati bahawa tumbuhan ini selalunya

dijumpai di kawasan yang berlaku banyak aktiviti dan kurang di kawasan lain

Bunga Pakma

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Bunga Rafflesia merupakan bunga yang terbesar di dunia.Ianya hanya terdapat di

kawasan Asia Tenggara. Bunga pakma spesies Rafflesia hasselti boleh didapati di

Semenenjung Malaysia, terutamanya dalam hutan bukit di Perak dan Pahang, misalnya

daerah Kampar, Tapah, Bukit Cameron, Temenggor, Lenggong dan Grik. Satu spesies

bunga pakma di Indonesia ialah Refflesia patma. Di Sabah dan Sarawak terdapat

beberapa spesies seperti Refflesia princei dan Rafflesia tuan-muda. Rafflesia manillana

pula ialah spesies bunga pakma negara Filipina.

Bunga pakma ialah sejenis tumbuhan parasit yang tidak berdaun. Bahagian vegetif

tumbuhan ini adalah struktur yang ringkas seperti kulat dalam kayu. Tumbuhan ini tidak

mempunyai langsung bahagian yang hijau, dan oleh itu bunga pakma tidak menjalankan

proses fotosintesis. Bunga pakma yang belum mekar dikumpul oleh orang melayu dan

orang Asli untuk kegunaan ubat tradisional. Kudup bunga ini boleh dikeringkan satu-satu

atau dipotong kecil-kecil sebelum ia dikeringkan.

Bunga Rafflesia, bunga terbesar di dunia. Walaupun mengambil masa 9 hingga 15 bulan untuk

mekar, jangka hayat bunga rafflesia hanya tujuh hari sebelum mati

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Wire Jewelry Making

(A ) How to Cut wire

The jewelry wire cutters that we use for all of our jewelry making projects are called "Flush

Cutters".  These cutters are specifically designed for jewelry and wire working projects to make a cut that leaves one

side of the cut wire relatively flat or flush and the other side relatively sharp.  The cutters are designed to be used

with the flat side of the cutters perpendicular to the wire to be cut and the beveled side of the cutters provides the

sharp edge necessary to cut.  The perpendicular or flat side of the flush cutter will cut jewelry wire and leave a

relatively flat end on the wire at that side.  The beveled side of the flush cutter will leave the cut wire with a sharp

end.  Try cutting a piece of wire and see the two cut ends to understand this better.

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Flat Side of Flush Cutter Beveled Side of Flush Cutter

For your jewelry making and wire projects always cut the wire so that the flat side of the cut

wire remains on the finished piece.  This is important so that the finished component won't have any sharp ends to

snag or cut.  This is accomplished by cutting with the flat side of the flush cutter toward the finished piece.   As

shown here, here are pictures showing how to hold your flush cutter when cutting wire.

Cutting Wire After the Cut

Finally, the flush cutters are designed for cutting "jewelry wire".   This is sterling silver, gold-

filled, gold, brass or copper wire.  They are not designed to cut steel in any form and may be ruined if they are used

to cut steel, including the Soft Flex or Tiger Tail bead stringing wire and/or memory wire. 

Safety Tip * 1:  Always hold both ends of the wire as you cut it.  When the cut is made, the loose end of the wire

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tends to fly.  It can be a hazard to your eyes and it can be a hazard to your back as you crawl around on the floor

trying to find the wire and pick it up.  Wearing safety glasses when jewelry making is often recommended, but it is

safer still to make sure the loose end of the wire can not become a missile hazard. 

Safety Tip * 2:  A good habit to have, is when you are cutting wire from a coil or spool to cut it so that the flat side

of the cut remains on the spool or coil of wire.  This way the shorter wire segment that you work with will always

have one sharp end and one flat end.  In addition, the wire on the spool with have a flat end so it will be less likely to

hurt anyone who picks up that spool later. 

Safety Tip * 3:  Flush cutters can be sharp and may not be suitable for young children.  Jewelry making is probably

not appropriate for young children.

(B) Jewelry Making -- How to Straighten Wire

Among the first steps in jewelry making is straightening the jewelry wire.   This step is mandatory

because jewelry wire is sold in coils or on spools and develops a natural curl as a result of the way it is packaged. 

There are many jewelry tools to help in straightening jewelry wire.   One of the simplest and easiest to

use is a piece of leather.  Fold the leather in 1/2 and use it to hold the wire.  Pull the wire through the leather several

times while squeezing the leather in your fingers.  A jewelry tool that I prefer to use instead of leather, is nylon jaw

pliers.  Instead of pulling the jewelry wire through leather, pull the wire through the jaws of nylon jaw pliers while

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squeezing the pliers closed. 

Sometimes when jewelry making you will find the the jewelry wire is too slippery to allow you to get a

good grip for pulling the wire.  Should this be the case, you may find that it will be easier to pull the wire if you

make a loop in one end and hold the wire by that loop while pulling it.

Finally, you can view the four steps in straightening wire with nylon jaw pliers below:

Step 1 (start with a loop in your wire) Step 2 (grip the wire with your nylon jaw pliers)

Step 3 (pull the wire through your pliers several times) Step 4 (check to see if the wire is straight.)

 

(C) Jewelry Making -- How to Bend Wire

When bending wire for jewelry making, one needs to consider the finished piece.   Quite frequently,

you will just need to bend the jewelry wire to make an angle in the wire.  This is one of the steps in making many

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jewelry wire components -- making a sharp, crisp bend in the wire.  Making a crisp bend in wire is done by grasping

the wire firmly in the jaws of chain nose or bent chain nose pliers.  Hold the wire so that it is essentially

perpendicular to the jaws of the pliers.  Then push the wire against the jaws of the pliers.  Push by pressing the wire

as close to the jaws as possible. 

A jewelry tool called "chain nose pliers" have smooth, flat jaws so that they can hold the jewelry

wire while spreading the gripping force across the flat face of the pliers and thereby leaving minimal marks on the

wire.  The needle nose pliers used by electricians are not an acceptable substitute for jeweler's chain nose pliers

because they contain grooves which leave marks on wire.  In general, the better chain nose pliers have thin tapered

tips (about 1mm at the tip).  This feature becomes important when making the bend in the wire necessary to

complete the wrapped bead link described in.

This technique is a very basic jewelry making skill. You can view the two steps in bending wire below:

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Bending Wire -- Grasp the Wire Bending Wire -- Push the wire against the jaws of the pliers.

(D) How to make a "P" Loop.

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The first technique or skill for making wire components that we will discuss is how to make a

"P" Loop.  The "P" loop is called a "P" loop because it resembles the letter "P".   This is one of

the most basic skills required in making jewelry.  You can view a properly made "P" loop at

right.  The steps for making almost all jewelry wire components begin by

making a "P" loop.

Begin making a "P" loop by grasping a straight segment of wire with your

round nose pliers.  Grasp the wire so that only a very small amount of wire

shows on the opposite side of your round nose pliers as shown at left.

While holding the wire firmly in the jaws of your round nose pliers, push the wire

around the jaw of your pliers as far as you can until the jaws of the pliers prohibit you

from pushing any further. 

If you look very closely at the wire in your pliers you will note the the

loop has a very small opening where the rounded wire piece does not

touch the straight wire piece.  We need to close this small gap or opening. 

We do this by repositioning the wire in the jaws of your pliers so that you will have plenty of

room to push the wire and close the small gap.  Slide the loop as far down the jaws of your pliers

as you can and firmly grasp the wire.  Push the wire so that the gap is closed.  The resulting "P"

loop should have straight wire connected to the rounded "P" with almost no gap between the start

of the wire and the straight wire segment that forms the backbone of the "P". 

Making a "P" loop with step jaw pliers is very similar to making a loop with round nose pliers.  

The steps are shown below:

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Step 1: Grip the wire with the step jaw pliers. Hold the pliers in your non-dominant hand. Allow about

1/16" of wire to show through the jaws of the pliers.

Step 1 Top View Step 1 End View

Step 2: Using the thumb on your dominant hand, place your thumb under the wire, as close to the

pliers as possible, and push the wire up and over the jaw of the pliers.

Step 2 Top View Step 2 End View

Step 3:  You will not be able to complete the loop in step 2 and will need to relax your grip on

the wire and reposition the wire so that you can push the wire to close the gap in the loop. 

Reposition the wire as shown here.

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Step 3 Top View Step 3 End View

Step 4:  Now grip the wire firmly in the jaws of the pliers and again, using the thumb on your

dominant hand, push the wire until the gap in the loop is closed.  Use care to make sure that you

don't push the wire too far.  Stop pushing as soon as the gap in the loop is closed.  When you

have pushed the wire far enough it will appear as shown at right. 

The advantages to using step jaw pliers are 1.  each loop is the same size and 2. the flat jaw of

the step jaw pliers does not mark the wire so you will not have any marks on the outside of your

loop.  When making jewelry on a jig, it is always a good idea to make the initial loop for your

piece using the step jaw pliers. 

Step jaw pliers aren't perfect for every application and can not replace round nose pliers when

making bead dangles, wrapped loops or eye loops. 

(E) Looping Technique

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The next looping technique or skill we will discuss is how to make eye loops.  With this technique an eye

loop is made by first making a "P" loop and then modifying it with your round nose pliers.  Eye loops are

very popular because the loop is centered on the wire leading to the loop.  Aesthetically this is more

pleasing than a "P" loop for most jewelry applications. 

To make an eye loop, grasp your "P" loop with the tips of your round nose pliers as shown at

left then twist your pliers while holding the wire as shown  at right. 

Frequently you will find that making an eye loop using this technique will cause the loop to

open up slightly.  This is normal.  To close any gap that opens, use your bent closing pliers

and gently squeeze the eye loop so that the gap is closed. 

.

(F) Making an open loop bead dangle

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Making an open loop bead dangle is another technique for making an eye loop in the end of a

wire component.  This technique is frequently used when making a bead dangle to hang beads

from earrings or necklace components.  The open loop is not as strong a way to make a bead

dangle (shown at left) as the "wrapped loop" technique that we will discuss later, but this

technique is totally appropriate for applications like earrings where there won't be significant

weight or force applied to the loop. 

Step 1:  Insert your head pin or wire component through your beads and grasp the wire

immediately above your beads with your bent chain nose pliers as shown at right.   Use the tips of

your pliers as you will want to minimize the amount of wire above the beads.  This technique is easier to accomplish

in a more consistent manner when using 1/2 hard wire.

Step 2:  Using your thumb push the wire over about 90 degrees.  Push the wire with

your thumb as close to your pliers as possible so that you get a crisp

bend (as opposed to a rounded bend.)

Step 3:  Using your round nose pliers grasp the wire on the horizontal segment, but as close to the

bend as possible.  See the picture at right for the orientation of your pliers relative to the bend. 

Grasp the wire in roughly the middle of your round nose pliers according to the size of the loop that

you want to make. 

Step 4:  Using your thumb, push the wire up and over the upper jaw in your round nose pliers.  

Again, push the wire with your thumb as close to the pliers as possible. 

Step 5:  In order to complete the loop you will have to re-orientate the wire in your pliers

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otherwise the lower jaw of your pliers will prevent you from completing the loop. 

The wrapped loop is one of the more important skills involved in the wire working technique

called "Wire Wrapping". This technique is important because it allows us to make a loop in wire

that is as strong as if it were cast or soldered.  This is very important for making beaded chains

and for connecting wire components into chains that are very strong.  You can view a wrapped

loop at right.  This technique can also be used to make a bead dangle using a head pin as shown

at left.  The steps involved in making a wrapped loop bead dangle are described

below.

Step 1:  Slide your beads onto your head pin all the way down.  While holding

the head pin upright, grasp the wire immediately above

the beads with your bent chain nose pliers. 

Step 2:  Bend the wire over to an angle of about 90 degrees.  Ensure that

you have about 1" or 25 mm of wire on the now horizontal wire segment.

Step 3:  Grasp the horizontal wire segment in your round nose pliers on the horizontal

segment, but as close to the 90 degree bend as possible.

Step 4:  Using your thumb, push the wire up and over the jaw of your round nose

pliers as shown at left. 

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Step 5:  At this point you will need to re-orientate the wire in the jaws

of your pliers so that you can complete the loop. 

Re-grip the wire as shown at right.

Step 6:  Complete the loop as shown at left. 

Let us start with a simple definition of a bead dangle.  A bead dangle is one or more

beads hanging from a jewelry component like an earring body.  You can view a simple bead

dangle at right.  In most cases, beads will be strung on a head pin to make the bead dangle. 

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This modification is based upon the fact that we have developed some new bent

chain nose pliers, with thinner tips that we call fine bent chain nose pliers.  In order to be

successful with our approach you need bent chain nose pliers with tips that are about 1mm wide. 

You also need round nose pliers and a second pair of chain nose or bent chain nose pliers.  The

steps involved in making a bead dangle are described starting below.

Step 1:  Thread a head pin through your beads or beads. 

Step 2:  Push the bead all the way to the bottom of the head pin (touching

the "head" of the head pin. 

Step 3:  Grasp the head pin in your bent chain nose pliers immediately above the bead as shown

at right.  The distance that you grasp the head pin from the tips of the jaws of your pliers will

determine where the loop in the bead dangle begins.  We want this distance to be the same for all

bead dangles in a particular jewelry item, so please notice where on your pliers you gripped the

head pin.  On your second bead dangle, you will want to grip the head pin at the same point on

your pliers.

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( G ) Jewelry Making -- How to Open and Close Loops

Frequently when jewelry making, you will find that you need to connect two jewelry components.  

One easy way to connect jewelry wire components is via an open jump ring.  A jump ring is a circle of wire.  You

can an enlarged view of one jump ring at right.  The jump ring shown here is an "open" jump ring because it has an

opening that will allow us to connect wire components to this jump ring.  The process for connecting items to a jump

ring requires us to open the jump ring, make the connection and then close the jump ring.   Opening a jump ring must

be performed in a way that will preserve the shape of the jump ring so that it can be closed and will have essentially

the same shape.  In the following paragraphs we describe how to open and close a jump ring. 

Opening a jump ring can be performed with one pair of chain nose pliers and some strong fingernails, or it

can be performed with two pair of chain nose pliers. In the pictures below we will show how to connect a wire component to

a jump ring with two pair of chain nose pliers. The first step in connecting a wire component to a jump ring is to grip the

jump ring with both pair of pliers. Grip the jump ring with the pliers on either side of the opening of the jump ring. See

below-left. To open the ring, twist one pair of the pliers up and the second pair of pliers down. See below, center-left. With

the jump ring opened, connect your wire component as shown below, center-right. Once the connection is made then re-

grip the jump ring as shown below-right.

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Grip Twist to Open Connect Re-Grip

Close the jump ring by twisting the pliers in the opposite direction that you used to open the jump ring. To make the closed

jump ring as perfect as possible, grip the jump ring in the jaws of your bent closing pliers. Position the opening in the jump

rings against one jaw of the pliers as shown below-center, then squeeze gently to ensure that the jump ring is closed

properly. Many people like to squeeze the jump ring enough so that it is slightly oblong and no longer perfectly round. An

oblong jump ring, with the opening of the jump ring on the short axis of the oval shape will naturally cause the jump ring to

orientate itself so that the connected wire components will align themselves on the long axis and will therefore not pull

against the opening of the jump ring. You can view an oblong jump ring below-right.

Twist to Close Squeeze to Finish Connected Components

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The tool that was used above to help in closing the jump ring is called bent closing pliers.   These

pliers have grooves or notches carved in the jaws of the pliers to help hold the wire firmly without allowing it to

slip.  You can view our recommended bent closing pliers here (Item 4005).  Bent closing pliers are not a mandatory

tool, but you will find that almost every professional jewelry maker will have at least one pair.  Please select here to

view our free instructions on how to use bent closing pliers to close gaps in loops. 

Please note that this same approach will apply to any open loop, whether it is on a jump ring, or the

beginning or ending loop in a wire component made on one of our WigJig tools, or to a loop in a figure 8

connector or alternate figure 8 connector.  For beginners who may not be familiar with a figure 8 connector, you can

view one at right.

  

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We discuss the figure 8 connector many times in this web site.   The reason is

simple -- we use the figure 8, or a similar connector that we call a modified figure 8 connector,

frequently.  It can be used to connect a clasp to a chain.  It can be used to connect an earring

body to an ear wire finding.  Frequently we use a figure 8 connector as a way to connect two

loops, that would be otherwise impractical to connect, for a variety of reasons including a size

mis-match. 

We also use a figure 8 connector as shown above-right to connect two loops and

change the orientation of the loops that are connected.  This approach is frequently used when

connecting an earring body to an ear wire as shown at left.  Using the figure 8 connector allows

us to change the orientation of the earring body, so that in this case it will hang parallel to the

wearer's ear.  Instructions for making a figure 8 connector begin below. 

Step 1:  Select a piece of wire at least 1 1/2" long.  Make a regular "P" loop in one end of this

wire using your round nose pliers. 

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Step 2:  Hold this loop and straighten the wire.   

Step 3:  Now using your round nose pliers again, grip the wire as shown at left. 

Try to grip the wire at the same point in your pliers as you used when you made

your first loop in step 1. 

Step 4:  Using your thumb, push the wire up and over the jaw

of your pliers making a second loop in the wire. 

Step 5:  Now reposition the wire in the jaws of your pliers so that you can tightly finish this

second loop.  Your wire should be in the position shown above-left. Pull the wire so

that the second loop in the wire rests tightly against the jaws of your pliers making it

a round loop. 

Step 6:  Remove the wire from your pliers and using your flush cutter cut the wire at the point

where the wire tail crosses the figure 8 connector. 

Step 7:  Using your bent chain nose pliers close this final loop and you have a completed figure

8 connector.

Making a loop in 16 gauge and larger jewelry wire is not as easy as making the same loop in 18

gauge and smaller gauges of wire.  For this reason, we have a modified technique for making

loops in larger gauges of wire. 

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Step 1:  While, holding your pliers in your non-dominant hand, grasp the wire in your round

nose or step jaw pliers with about 1/8" of wire sticking beyond the edge of the jaws of the pliers

as shown at left. 

Step 2:  Push the wire with the thumb of your dominant hand until the wire bends slightly more

than 180 degrees.  When you reach the point where the jaws of your pliers will not allow you to

push the wire any further, proceed to step 3. 

Step 3:  Re-orientate the wire in the jaws of  your pliers so that you can complete the loop.  This

will require re-gripping the wire so that you will have room to push it further.

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Step 4:  Push the wire so that it makes more than a complete loop as shown at right.  Your goal

is to have the wire tightly follow the round shape of your pliers for more than a complete loop. 

Step 5:  Remove the wire from your pliers and it should appear as shown at left. 

 

Step 6:  Cut the excess wire with your flush cutter.  Remember to orientate the jaws of your

flush cutter so that the flat side of your flush cutter is toward the finished loop. 

Step 7:  After cutting the excess wire, your loop should appear as shown at left.  Please note that

this loop is partially opened and needs to be closed to be finished. 

Step 8:  Close the loop by gripping the loop in the jaws of your bent chain nose pliers and

twisting the loop closed.  The finished loop should appear as shown at right. 

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A jump ring finding is essentially a circle of wire used to connect two wire components.  

Frequently people purchase jump rings rather than make them for the simple reason that this is

something that a machine can do quickly and inexpensively.  Sometimes you find that you need

a jump ring to finish a jewelry making project and just don't have any.  For that reason, it is

important to know how to make jump rings. 

The easiest way we have found to make jump rings in our opinion is to use Step Jaw Pliers like

our Fine Step Jaw Pliers .  Using these pliers, you make a coil of wire about 1 1/2 times around

one of the steps in the jaws of the pliers. 

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After this simple coil is completed, remove the wire from the pliers.  The initial part of this small

coil will be flat and not rounded like the rest of the coil.  We need to cut this initial 1/8" of wire

off the coil using our flush cutter, with the flat side of the flush cutter toward the main part of the

coil.  This will leave us a flat cut on the end of the wire for the coil.

Once we have completed that cut, we need to flip the coil over so that we

can cut the opposite side of the coil, effectively giving us a complete circle

of wire -- an open jump ring.  Again cut the wire with the flat side of your flush cutter toward the

finished jump ring. 

If you have made your cuts at the right places, you will have a perfect circle of wire.  This is

your open Jump Ring. 

In the pictures left and right you can see two views of how to use Bent Closing Pliers to close an

opening or small gap in a loop of wire.  In this case, the pliers have closed the gap in a "P" loop

by gently squeezing the loop until the gap is closed.  In the picture at right. you can view the

grooves in both jaws of these pliers.  The wire for the loop or jump ring is held in the grooves on

each jaw of the pliers.  This keeps the wire from slipping thereby avoiding having the pliers

scratch the wire. 

(H) Instructions for opening and closing loops here.

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When using open jump rings, many wire crafters like to convert a round jump ring to an oval

jump ring, with the opening of the on one side of the oval.   The reason that you do this is with

an oval jump ring, the jump ring will naturally adjust so that the tension on the jump ring will not

pull directly on the gap or opening of the jump ring.  The jump ring shown at right in the pliers is

round.  The jump ring shown at left, is slightly oval with the long axis of the oval being vertical

and the short axis of the oval being horizontal.  As you can see, you want the opening in your

jump ring to be on the short axis of the jump ring. 

( I ) Jewelry Making using a WigJig Jewelry Tool

Many jewelry making projects begin by making a jewelry wire component on a WigJig or other jewelry tool. 

Almost all jewelry wire components made on a jig, work better when starting the piece by placing a loop over a peg

to fix one end of the wire.  In most pieces this initial loop will be part of the finished piece.  In some pieces, by

contrast, you will need to cut the initial loop off after you complete wrapping the wire on the jig, as it won't be part

of the finished piece. 

To make a jewelry wire wire component on a jig, begin by identifying the design you want to

make and start by identifying the positions for the pegs in the jig as required to make the component.   A good

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jewelry design for a beginner is shown here.  Next, cut and straighten the jewelry wire.  One of the most important

tips in being successful when making wire components is to concentrate on keeping the wire straight as you wrap it

around the pegs to make the design.  Begin by adding pegs 1 and 2 to your jig and add a peg as you proceed.  You

may need to remove pegs from the pattern and add them back in one at a time as necessary to help keep the wire

straight as you wrap.  A helpful tip is to hold and guide the wire with constant tension in your dominant hand and

rotate the jig with your non-dominant hand as you wrap the wire around the pegs.  Concentrate on keeping the wire

straight with your dominant hand until it wraps around the pegs. Try to push the wire with your fingers as close to

the pegs on the jig as possible.  Avoid pulling the wire if possible. 

One last suggestion for jewelry making.  Plan on making at least three of each jewelry wire

component to be made on the jig using inexpensive practice wire.   This is very important.  Make several practice

pieces of each type wire component before you begin to use your good wire.  Plan on discarding these practice

pieces.  Do not get discouraged if the first several pieces don't end up like the directions say they should.   This craft

is like riding a bike.  It is a skill that must be learned.  Almost everyone can learn it, but almost no one is ready to

ride in a bicycle race during their first ride on a bike. 

. 

(J) Jewelry Making -- How to Make Simple Earrings

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Making simple earrings is as the name applies, simple.   If you can make a bead dangle and you can open

and close loops, you can make these simple earrings.  The required jewelry supplies are two head pins, two or more

beads, some jewelry wire, and a pair of ear wire findings. 

For those that are unfamiliar with findings, a finding is a metal component that is pre-made and sold as a

complete component. A head pin is one type of finding.   Ear wire findings come as "French" style ear wires, post

style ear wires, kidney shaped ear wires, ear clips and many more.  You can view several styles of ear wire findings

here. 

Begin by making two bead dangles using the techniques discussed in page 7.  Now open the loop on your

ear wire finding using the techniques discussed in page 6.  Add the loop in the bead dangle to the loop in the ear wire

finding and close the loop in the ear wire finding. . 

Let's first modify the simple earring by adding a jump ring, or a simple circle of wire to

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connect the ear wire finding to the bead dangle.  You can open and close the jump ring to connect the two

components.  Please note the orientation of the loop in the bead dangle and the loop in the ear wire finding.  They

will be rotated 90 degrees to their original orientation. 

Finally, connect the ear wire finding to the bead dangle by a figure 8 connector and not that the

orientation of the loop in the ear wire and the loop in the bead dangle are the same as when we directly

connect the ear wire to the bead dangle.  Given that the orientation is the same, is there a reason for using

a figure 8 connector?  The simple answer is yes, there are several reasons.  The figure 8 connector adds a hinge in

the ear ring that allow the bead dangle to move in more directions that if directly connected.  The figure 8 connector

also adds distance between the ear wire and the bead dangle. 

Complete this jewelry making project by making a pair of earrings using the same combination of bead

dangle, ear wire, and connector (either none, a jump ring, or a figure 8 connector.)

(K) Jewelry Making -- How to Connect Jewelry Wire Components with a Wrapped Bead

Link

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The wrapped bead link is the jewelry making component shown at right.  This link is one of the more important

links for connecting jewelry wire components, other wrapped beads links, or segments of commercial chain.  

Simplified instructions for making this link can be found here and here.  Better, more detailed instructions are

provided in our online book on jewelry making called "Wire Design Basics". 

   

The following paragraphs provide a few jewelry making tips that I hope will help those who aren't satisfied with

their wrapped loops.  These jewelry making tips provide amplification to the instructions provided above. 

1.  22G or 24G wire are easier to use in making wrapped loops than 18G or 20G.  In addition, while you should

practice this skill with inexpensive copper wire, you will probably find that soft wire, like copper practice wire, is

harder to use in making wrapped loops than is 1/2 hard wire.

2.  When you are trying to perfect this  technique, use larger loops.  It is easier to be successful when making a

wrapped loop when the loop is larger. 

3.  Try to keep the jewelry wire tail that you are wrapping  perpendicular to the wire inside the bead as you wrap. 

When the wire gets at an angle to the wire inside the bead, you will notice gaps between the wraps.

4.  When wrapping, it is best to hold the loop that you make with chain nose or bent chain nose pliers while you

wrap the wire.  This helps to retain the shape of the loop (keeps it from distorting out of round) and helps to stabilize

the piece as you wrap. 

5.  As you are learning this jewelry skill allow yourself more wire in the wire tail that you wrap around the wire

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segment inside the bead.  Instead of starting with a bend 1 inch from the end, make the initial bend 1 1/4 or 1 1/2

inch from the end of the wire.  This will mean that you cut off more excess jewelry wire, but while you are

perfecting this skill, you will find it easier if you have a little more wire to work with. 

6.  One final jewelry technique to try is to push the wire tail that you are wrapping with your fingers close to the wire

you are wrapping around.  This may make it easier to control the wrap and help to keep the wire perpendicular. 

Making wire shapes that are strong and permanent isn't as easy as it might seem. 

Wire must be somewhat flexible so that we can bend it and change its shape.  The same

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flexibility that allows us to use wire to make jewelry can also work against us, by allowing the

wire component to be pushed or pulled out of shape after the piece is completed.  In the

following pages we will discuss some techniques for making permanent wire components.

The first step in making wire components permanent is to use the hardest wire that

will meet your needs.  Frequently, the wire components we make use half-hard wire.  This is

wire that is made stiffer in the manufacturing process.  By starting with wire that is already

partially hardened, you will have less hardening to do with your finished wire component. 

Unfortunately, some pieces, especially wire components that include a spiral, must be made with

soft wire; so this approach will not work in every situation. 

The third step in making a wire component permanent is to use the component

in the proper orientation.  Most wire components made on our jigs will have both a strong axis

and a weak axis.  The strong axis of the piece is the axis where you can pull on the piece and it

won't come apart.  The weak axis is that axis where you could pull the piece apart.   In the piece

shown above-right, the horizontal axis is the strong axis and the vertical axis is the weak axis. 

For this reason, we incorporate this wire component in a bracelet as shown below.  By

incorporating the strong axis in this piece, this wire component will be almost as strong as if it

were cast. 

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A head pin is a jewelry making finding similar to a straight pin.  It is basically a straight piece of

wire with one large end.  The large end is large enough so that it can't pass through the hole in a

bead.  Most head pins are manufactured by a machine with a head that is identical to the head on

a pin.  In this page, we will show a couple of ways that you can make a head pin using a straight

segment of wire. 

In the earrings shown above-right you can view two ways of taking a straight

segment of wire and converting it into a head pin.  The first approach to making a head pin is to

make one or more loops in the wire in a pattern like the Queen of Clubs Earrings shown with the

amethyst bead above-left.  The second approach is to flatten one end of the wire using a chasing

hammer and an anvil.  You can view this approach in the two earrings above-right. 

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Making the Queen of Clubs head pin is done with three pegs in a triangle pattern

as shown at right.  The finished head pin is shown at left.  The instructions for making this head

pin can be found by selecting either picture.

To make a head pin by flattening one end of a segment of wire requires the use

of a chasing hammer and anvil.  Start with a segment of 20 gauge wire about 2 1/2 inches long. 

Place this segment of wire on your anvil and hammer the last 5/8" of wire with the rounded side

of your chasing hammer.  You will need to do a lot of hammering.  Each of the wire segments

shown here were hammered for about 4-5 minutes. 

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Note that the wire is not perfectly symmetrical after the hammering.   When you

have flattened the wire adequately, you will need to cut the end with your flush cutter.   You can

cut the end square as shown above-right, or you can cut the end into a point as shown in the

earrings in the center at the top of this page.  This style of head pin is called "paddles" because

they resemble a paddle for a canoe or boat. 

Making wire shapes that are strong and permanent isn't as easy as it might seem.  

Wire must be somewhat flexible so that we can bend it and change its shape.  The same

flexibility that allows us to use wire to make jewelry can also work against us, by allowing the

wire component to be pushed or pulled out of shape after the piece is completed.  In the

following pages we will discuss some techniques for making permanent wire components.

The first step in making wire components permanent is to use the hardest wire that

will meet your needs.  Frequently, the wire components we make use half-hard wire.  This is

wire that is made stiffer in the manufacturing process.  By starting with wire that is already

partially hardened, you will have less hardening to do with your finished wire component. 

Unfortunately, some pieces, especially wire components that include a spiral, must be made with

soft wire; so this approach will not work in every situation. 

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A clasp is a jewelry making finding used to connect the ends of necklaces and bracelets so that they

stay on the wearer.  One way of making a clasp is with a loop on one end of the bracelet or necklace and some form

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of hook on the other end.  As an alternative we also have clasps that are made of a larger loop on one end and a

toggle type bar on the other end.   Most of these instructions for making clasps use our Super Pegs to make the

larger rounded loops used in these wire components.  You can view our selection of clasps here.  Please select any

picture to view our instructions for making that clasp

.

 

 

 

Let's begin with the instructions for making snap-fit earrings.  Making the earrings shown here

requires three components -- The round, diamond cut simulated gemstone, the snap-fit setting to

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hold the simulated gemstone, and the ear clutch finding to hold the earrings on the wearer's ear.  

The following paragraphs show how to make these earrings. 

Step 1:  Position your simulated gemstone on a flat smooth surface like a cutting board with the

flat side down and the pointed side pointing up.

Step 2:  Select a snap-fit setting that matches the diameter of the gemstone you have selected.  If

you have an 8mm gemstone, obviously you would select an 8mm setting.  Grasp the setting in

your bent chain nose pliers as shown at left and position the setting over the gemstone. 

Step 3:  Push down symmetrically on the setting.  Use the pliers to help.  Hold the pliers in your

non-dominant hand and push down on the jaws of the pliers with the thumb of your dominant

hand.  You will hear a snap or pop as the prongs of the setting snap into place around the stone. 

Continue pushing until all 6 prongs snap into position. 

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Step 4:  The final step is to make sure that each prong is set tightly against the gemstone.  This is

accomplished by grasping an opposing pair of prongs and gently squeezing them in the jaws of

your bent chain nose pliers. Do this for each of the 3 pairs of opposing prongs. 

Step 5:  Add an ear clutch to the opposite end of the setting. 

Repeat the above steps to make your second earring. 

First let's discuss exactly what is an "Ear Thread".   An ear thread is a type of ear wire

finding made with fine chain, a small segment of straight 21 or 22 gauge wire soldered to the

chain, and an open jump ring.  You can view an ear thread finding at right. 

Unlike most earrings that are either held in place by gravity (shepherd's hook type ear

wires) or are held in place by a clip or other type of catch, these ear wires are held in place by the

friction of the segment of chain with the wearer's ear lobe.  This could be considered a

disadvantage of this style of ear wire as it limits the beads that can be attached to the ear thread

to relatively light beads.  The advantages to this type of ear wire is that you get a long earring

with a lot of motion when worn. 

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Connecting a bead to an ear thread is exactly the same as almost all other ear wires.  

The ear thread has an open jump ring at one end and your bead dangle is connected to this jump

ring by opening the ring using your chain nose pliers, connecting the loop in the bead dangle and

then closing the loop in the jump ring again using your bent chain nose pliers.  When completed

the earring made using an ear thread will appear as shown at left. 

The jewelry making technique for making a bead dangle using a regular head pin and

beads can be found here.  We also have instructions for making open and wrapped loops that can

be found starting here

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KAJIAN TEKS

RAFFLESIA

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JEWELRY

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Wire JEWELRY