Briolette Earrings

Skill Level: Intermediate

Do you love the look of briolette and top drilled bi-cone beads, but when it comes to using them, you put it off because they can be difficult to wrap?  This design, for a simple yet stunning pair of earrings, centers around one of the ways to combine wire and these gorgeous beads.  After making these, I’m sure you will find lots of variations and develop your own beautiful earring designs!

**Tip: practice using less expensive beads until you get the procedure down, as sometimes the top of the bead can snap off when applying too much pressure while making round wire components.

Materials

• 2 1" pieces 21-gauge round half hard gold filled wire
• 2 3" pieces 22-gauge square half hard gold filled wire
• 2 Briolette Gemstone Beads
• 1 Pair of Ear Wires
• 4 ¾"-long pieces of Light Weight Chain

Tools

• Fine Tipped Chain Nose Pliers
• Flat Nose Pliers
• Round Nose Pliers
• Angle Cutters
• Ultra Fine Point Marker
• Ruler

Instructions

1. Straighten, clean then measure and cut all necessary wire. Find and mark the center of each 3-inch long wire, (at 1½ inches).
   

2. Place round-nose pliers directly on the center mark of a 3-inch piece. Hold with wire with the pliers and use fingers to bend the wire ⅔ around the pliers jaw. Repeat on the other 3-inch wire.
   
   

3. Use flat nose pliers to hold the loop just made and use a pin vise to twist each end of each looped wire.
   
   

4. From the end of the loop, measure down each twisted wire to ¾ inch and mark. Use angle cutters to trim each twisted wire at this mark.
   
   

5. Place round-nose pliers on one twisted end, grasp firmly and roll the pliers toward the center, forming a complete circle at the end of the twisted wire.  Repeat on the opposite end as well as on both ends of the second twisted wire.
   
   

6. On one 1-inch round wire, use the tips of fine-tipped chain-noses pliers to grasp the end and rollback toward the straight wire, forming a ‘P’ shaped loop. Repeat on one end of the other 1-inch round wire.
   **(Please note that the size of these loops will depend on the size/weight of the chain chosen; as the chain will be inserted into these loops later, make the loops an appropriate size.)
   
   

7. Insert this looped round wire through the briolette so the loop is about 1mm away from the bead. Place the fine-tipped chain-nose pliers on the straight wire side, approximately ⅛ inch away from the hole. Roll the pliers/wire toward the bead, forming a complete loop.
   
   

8. Place flat-nose pliers on the loop just created and roll the loop toward the bead until the distance away matches the other side.
   
   

9. Use chain-nose pliers to open each of the loops just made and insert a ¾-inch segment of chain into each, then close the loops.
   
   

10. Return to the twisted wire components; use chain-nose pliers to open each loop, insert the opposite end of the chained briolette component into each and close.
    
    

11. Place round-nose pliers on the twisted wire, immediately above the loop and roll the pliers in slightly, until the desired arch is made.
    
    

12. Add your favorite ear wires.
    Experiment! Add a headpin drop to the center loop under the ear wire; make the chain segments longer or shorter; add headpin drops to each of the twisted wire component loops with the chain segment, etc.
    
    

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