Ever since the cowboy and Indian days, turquoise beads or cabs set in silver have captured man's fancy. But let's face it—few of us are excellent silver smiths. It is hard to make pendants by fitting stones in perfectly shaped settings as we see in popular southwestern jewelry, but it is easy to achieve the same basic look with a modern twist. Wire wrapping is a great, easy way to make pendants from turquoise beads and cabochons without all the equipment and know-how of a silver smith. And just because it is easy, does not mean it is simple. Think of wire wrapping as sculpting; it is only as simple as you make it!
You will want to start out with some 20 Ga flat wire, two chain nose pliers, one pair of round nose pliers, wire cutters, tape, and a razor blade. Trace your turquoise bead and get an idea of what design you would like. It is always a good idea to try a few different approaches before you decide. No matter how intricate your design becomes, first you need to create a simple casing to hold your turquoise bead as a pendant. Usually three or five strands of wire are best. Measure the perimeter of your stone and cut all the wires to that length plus four inches.
Line up your wires and temporarily bind them with tape to keep them from slipping. You will need to create additional binds between the tape by looping small bands of wire around about one and a half times. Where these bindings occur depends on the shape of your turquoise bead and your design, but usually you will want at least four of them (two near the middle close together and two farther out towards the ends). Make the bindings secure, but not terribly tight. Once the bindings are in place you will not need the tape on the ends anymore.
Now use the razor blade to separate the top and bottom wires and pull them outwards. These are the wires that will hold your turquoise bead in place. They can be loopy or angular, whatever goes with your design. When you are ready, carefully wrap the bundled wire strands around the turquoise bead, starting with the bottom of the bead in the middle of the bound wires. Use the extra length at the top of the bead to make a loop for your new turquoise pendant.
Next comes the fun part. Cut any length wire you desire, wrap it a few times around the top loop to secure it, and form your design. Filigree is a favorite at this stage, but you can do almost anything you like now that you have your basic setting. Attach your wires for designing at the binds or the top loop and mold them around your stone. With turquoise beads, you should always take into consideration the shape and color of the stone. Decide if you really want to cover up the corner or interrupt the matrix. Also keep in mind the style of necklace as a whole so that your centerpiece will stand out.
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