The Creative Process of Precious Metal Wire Jewelry

Creating the Jewelry

The jewelry that I create is entirely hand-fabricated using wire weaving and wire wrapping techniques.
I take pride in the quality of materials used and the craftsmanship demonstrated in each jewelry piece.

My wire jewelry journey began with learning basic wrapping skills through tutorials and then expanding
on those skills through self-teaching.  I have been wrapping and weaving wire for about 7 years and
have acquired accreditation as a Jewelry Professional from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

On average, a wire jewelry project takes about 6 to 8 hours.  I spend time sketching, gathering materials
for the design, and then shaping and wrapping wire. The main challenge with wire jewelry is to keep
the gemstone held in place using only the wire.  Weaving wire creates a very strong hold, and I never use
glue, pins, or any other method for securing gemstones.

My longest running project is the Watermelon Tourmaline Bangle, which took around
22 hours to complete.  This bangle stayed on my bench for over a year and a half as I worked
on other projects in between.  It is one of my favorite pieces.

Tools & Materials

A wire jewelry studio does not require nearly as much space as many other jewelry studios because
most of the tools are small and simple.  I routinely use many different types of pliers and cutters,
a small torch, a bench block with a few jeweler’s hammers, a jig, a clamp, a flex shaft, and sometimes
a magnifying glass. 

The sterling and fine silver wire comes on spools and is cut to certain lengths,
shaped by hand, forged using my bench block, sometimes torched, then finished
by oxidizing and/or polishing.

All gemstones are purchased in person and require travel and hours of hand-inspection and selection.
I have developed strong business relationships with my vendors and usually do not have a
problem finding specific stones upon customer request.

The Passion to Create

After trying many different types of Art throughout my life, wire jewelry has become my
creative outlet.  It is meditative and therapeutic, and can sometimes be obsessive. 

Although there are times when projects do not go as smoothly as planned, it is very satisfying
to me to solve problems and overcome challenges within the creative process. 
Sometimes I can do nothing except think of new designs and innovative ways to hold gems in wire. 

During the creation of each new jewelry piece, I learn not only about jewelry construction and design,
but also new things about myself.  Some pieces take many, many hours and give lessons on patience
and trust.  I feel that very piece has made a large contribution to the development of my skill
set in wire weaving and jewelry design.

Creating jewelry is my passion.  It makes me feel that I am doing my part to bring beauty into
the lives of individuals as well as to the world.  I hope that by owning and wearing my
jewelry inventions you will feel that sense of beauty and satisfaction within yourself

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Thank you for visiting. Please contact me if there is anything special I can help you with.
-Sabrinah