How to make a wire-wrapped ring with a gemstone
After receiving many questions about the wire-wrapping jewelry technique and the design of Solspel crystal jewelry, I decided to make this blog guide on how to make a wire-wrapped ring. For that occasion, I met with two amazing photographers from the Look at that project (IG: @lookatthat), who took photos and my process video. Check it out in the post below.
I love to design wire-wrapped jewelry because I can do it anywhere at any time. It doesn’t require welding, I just take my set of tools, stones, and wire with me.
What do I need to make a wire-wrapped ring?
Firstly, let’s check all the materials needed to make a wire-wrapped ring so that you don’t go to a nice location in nature and then realize something is missing. 😬🤪
To make a wire-wrapped ring with a gemstone, you will need:
- Set of tools: cutting pliers, flat nose pliers for straightening the wire, and round nose pliers for bending the wire.
- Sterling silver 925 wire gauge 20 and gauge 26. Alternatively, you can use another wire, such as copper or brass, especially if you are still learning. I do think silver is the easiest to work with though, so maybe you can give it a go, and if it doesn’t turn out nice, you can always have the silver remelted.
- A gemstone of your own choice. If you are a beginner with wire wrapping, choose a cabochon shape, it is going to be easier to wrap it. Also, choose a little bit bigger stone (radius maybe 5 mm)
- Jeans cloth for straightening the wire.
- A ruler.
- Ring sizer.
The process of making a wire-wrapped ring with a gemstone
Making the base of the wire-wrapped ring
To make the base of a wire-wrapped ring (the circle that goes around the finger), we need 2 or 3 silver wires 22 gauge, length approximately 12 cm. If your stone is bigger, it will take more wire to wrap it, so make it about 15 or 16 cm instead.
Then, straighten the wires using a rough cloth (I use old jeans). Hold the wire with the flat nose pliers and pull it with jeans against you. Repeat until the wire is straight.
Start wrapping the thin wire around the thick one
After all your 22 gauge wire sticks are straight, you can start wrapping the thin wire around. Decide on a pattern, I usually use a nice weave, where I go around each thick wire once and then around all three of them. I repeat the process until a nice pattern is created. Use 26 gauge silver wire to wrap around the thick wire.
Mind the ring size!
If you are making your first ring, you probably don’t care about the ring size yet, but I assure you that it will soon become a very important thing for you. Our fingers are of very different sizes, so it is very important that you know the exact finger size of the person you are making the jewelry for.
Check out the Ring Size Chart, so you can precisely measure the ring size. The length of your weaving silver wire should match the circumference of the ring. If the ring size is 7, the circumference is 5.4 cm, so that means that your base will also be 5.4 cm.
Important: make sure to take into account the size of the stone, which is a part of the ring’s circumference. If the stone’s diameter is 5 mm, that means that your wire weave will only be about 5 cm (we add a little bit more of the length to the weave.
Measure the base on the ring sizer
After you have weaved your base, it is time to transfor it into a circular shape that will become a nice, neat ring base. Use the ring sizer and circle it around, at the size number of your initial plan.
Wrap the base around the ring size number, and then tie both end together, so you form a beautiful circle.
Join the stone with the base and secure it with the wire.
After the formation of your base, it is time to set the stone, which is in my opinion the hardest part of the job, but don’t worry. You got this. Just have some patience and understanding that good things take time.
Slowly start wrapping wire over the stone. It is important to first wrap the inner wire, bend it over the stone and horizontally wrap it around the base on the other side of the stone (if you take the wire on the right side, bend it up and over and then tuck it on the left side of the stone). Repeat with all the wire, but make sure that you are move from inwards out.
Tuck the wire around the base, what secures the stone and gives the final detail to the design.
Create a little detail.
Around the last wire, you can create a little detail and add a coil from the 26 gauge thin silver wire. Make sure it is long enough, and then again tuck the wire around the base. That’s it! Your wire-wrapped ring is finished!
For the first time, the process won’t be as easy as it seems, believe me – I was there too. But it truly becomes easier and easier every time you make an additional ring. If you love it, don’t give up. And feel free to message me if you have any questions regarding the process!
