Creating jewelry is a three dimensional artistic expression that requires very special jewelry supplies. Handcrafting exquisite jewelry is much more than stringing beads on a silver wire. It requires basic tools including precision pliers, hammers, tweezers and more. Also needed are scales, gemstone testers, metal testers, soldering tools, chemicals and fluxes, casting equipment, polishing and engraving machines along with all the beautiful gemstones, beads and metals.
These jewelry supplies are highly technical and need to be handled correctly. An easier way to make jewelry is to buy semi-precious gems, beads, silver and gold filled wire, charms and crystals along with a few simple hand tools and assemble fashionable earrings, bracelets, necklaces and hair ornaments.
There are at least 18 different types of pliers to create secure crimps, neat, tight loops and coils and to bend wire. Bent chain-nose pliers and straight chain-nose pliers for reaching tight places, crimping pliers, end-cutting nippers, flush-cut pliers and flat-nose pliers are a few of the specialized tools that help make jewelry creation easier.
Jewelry findings are small pieces required for assembling jewelry that need not be made each time. They are an important part of jewelry supplies and include clasps, ear wires, and bails for hanging pendants, loops and jump rings for connecting parts of drop earrings. There are brooch assemblies as well as pin stems and many other miscellaneous items for creating different kinds of jewelry. There are thousands of styles of ready made stone settings, so it is not always necessary to create the setting each time.
Magnifiers make the job easier and give the eyes a rest. They include jeweler’s eye loupes, lighted bench top magnifiers, headband magnifiers, gem grading instruments and hand-held lighted magnifiers.
Once all the tools are gathered, the material that will actually become the jewelry needs to be purchased. Jewelry wire, charms and beads are just the beginning. There is a huge variety of beads including ceramic, glass, seeds, wood, pearls, natural stone, pewter, copper, crystal, gold and silver. There are also pre-designed beads including Egyptian, Tibetan, Czech glass, African trade beads, carved bone, clay and cloisonné. Charms are also available in almost any possible shape such as animals, stars, sun and moon, flowers, trees and souvenirs form tourist attractions and events.
Along with jewelry supplies first-time jewelry makers can get design suggestions and instructions for beading. There is information on gemstones, as well as advice on the latest fashions in jewelry. Displays for rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and small, convenient boxes to organize all the jewelry supplies are available online at jewelry supply websites. They also give examples of jewelry and the instructions and supplies needed for making them. These include earrings, necklaces and bracelets.
Jewelry kits are a good way to begin jewelry making. Each kit comes with the stones or wire needed and instructions for making the item. Also included in the instructions is a list of the tools that will be needed to make the earrings, bracelet or necklace. There are plier kits, beading tool kits, jewelry display kits and wire wrapping tool kits.
Once the jewelry is made it needs to be priced and boxed if it is to be sold. Jewelry supplies also include velour jewelry boxes and small boxes for earrings, pendants, watches and rings. Some boxes are very simple cotton filled boxes and some are very fancy with faux fur or crystal styling. Gift bags and pouches are also an attractive way to display jewelry. There are even tiny jewelry price tags available that look very professional.
Jewelry supplies include a vast number of tools, instruments, metal wire and beads, other types of beads, precious and semi-precious stones and much more. Whether a person is going into the business of making and selling jewelry or simply making a few items as gifts, it pays to have good quality material and clear instructions, so each piece of jewelry will be a masterpiece.