Fashion Jewelry – How to Make Wire-Wrap Fashion Jewelry
Fashion jewelry has been around for thousands of years now. In the early primitive days, some of our ancestors have even taken to jewelry more easily than they have with clothes. Glamorous looking or not, primitive men have made use of stones, twines, animal teeth and other materials which were found in their surroundings. And, although primitive men may have never heard of the concept of jewelry, those stone necklaces probably may have been considered trendy even in those times, worn only by some privileged few who happen upon their last meal's molars, bicuspids or some other part of dental treasure!
Because of the certain sense of personal satisfaction felt by people wearing jewelry that matched their personality, fashion jewelry has survived up to this age. And although gone were the days when people walked around flaunting the above-mentioned style of fashion jewelries, modern tools and easy jewelry-making tips have made sure that the modern man – or more aptly, women, enjoyed the same satisfaction of wearing jewelries in crystals, gold, diamonds, beads and other precious stones.
One of the most popular and easy to make jewelry now is the wire-wrap jewelry. The tools in making wire-wrap fashion jewelry is relatively cheap and available almost in every hardware or tool shops. These basic wire-wrap jewelry making tools include, wire cutters, pliers, ring mandrel, a scale, swiss pattern file and pin vise.
Wire-wrap jewelry, as one may surmise from its name alone, involves the twisting and binding of wires together into a chosen design with the use of tools. Wires may come in copper, brass, silver, gold or white gold and other malleable material. These wires or materials may also come in different shapes and sizes: round, flat, thick, etc.
Wire-wrap jewelries are easy to make. For amateur fashion jewelry makers or for those who are only starting with fashion jewelry as a hobby, select first a fashion jewelry design. Make sure that you understand fully how to go about starting with the design as designs may come in different levels of complexities. It is advisable for beginners to start with easy designs. Next, with the use of tools, begin your step-by-step twisting, bending and binding of the wires. Since wires are malleable, a beginner can easily alter and correct it should she make mistakes. Some designs may include stones, semi-precious or precious stones, and some designs may not.
Once the work has met with your satisfaction, attach a sturdy fashion jewelry latch. Fashion jewelry latches may be bought in jewelry shops and in hobby stores in the jewelry, beads or handicraft section. Some may want to add finishing touches to their wire-wrap jewelry by tinting it if the material used allows for it. Some jewelry makers also leave their masterpieces as is especially when they are in gold, or silver. It is up to the fashion jewelry designer's good eye to decide how it may look better.
Wire-wrap fashion jewelry may be easy to make. But the satisfaction and sense of achievement felt by its designer-maker is definitely immense, knowing that he has carried on a tradition of art, beauty and fashion started thousands of years ago. Only this time, he or she accomplishes it with better tools, more raw materials to choose from, high level of design, and definitely a higher selling price!