Wire wrapped jewelry

History

• Wire and beaded jewelry made using wire wrapping techniques date back to thousands of years BC.
• The British Museum has samples of jewelry from the Sumerian Dynasty, found in the cemetery of Ur, dating back to approximately 2000 BC.
• Ancient Roman jewelry also shows wire wrapped loops, dating back to approximately 2000 years ago.
• The wire wrapping approach continued even after the development of soldering techniques, as it was an economical and quick way to make jewelry components.
• Wire wrapping techniques are primarily employed by individuals, as mass-produced jewelry is usually cast using machines.

Characteristics

• Wire wrapped jewelry is made of wire and sometimes findings similar to wire.
• Mechanical connections are used instead of soldered connections.
• Loops made in wire are a key element in wire wrapped jewelry.
• Different types of loops, such as P loops, eye loops, and wrapped loops, are used for connecting components.
• Simple wire wrapped jewelry can be made by threading a bead onto a head pin and creating a loop to connect it to an ear wire finding.

Tools

• Four essential tools for wire wrapped jewelry are flush cutter, round nose pliers, flat nose pliers, and chain nose or bent chain nose pliers.
• Other useful tools include nylon jaw pliers, a ruler, step jaw pliers, a pin vise, a chasing hammer, an anvil or bench block, a cup bur, loop closing or bent closing pliers, and a jewelry making jig.
• Flush cutters are special cutters that leave one end of the cut wire flat and the other end sharp.
• Round nose pliers are used for making loops in wire.
• Flat nose pliers are used to keep areas flat or make 90-degree bends in the wire.

Wire

• Wire for wire wrapped jewelry is available in shapes such as round, square, half-round, and patterns like flat and pre-twisted.
• Copper and brass wire are easy to shape and manipulate.
• Sterling silver wire holds its shape well once formed.
• Gold-filled and silver-filled wire have a permanent bond between the gold or silver layer and the supporting material.
• Wire is measured by diameter, indicated by gauge numbers, with lower gauge numbers representing thicker wire.

Supplies

• Pre-made components, known as findings, can be purchased instead of making them.
• Common findings used in wire wrapped jewelry are ear wires, clasps, head pins, and jump rings.
• Findings provide convenience and save time in the jewelry making process.
• Craftspersons have the option to choose from a variety of pre-made findings in different materials and designs.
• Using pre-made findings allows for consistency and uniformity in the finished jewelry pieces.

Wire wrapped jewelry Data Sources