Retired - Adele Necklace

Note: Components and tools listed within this INSTRUCTIONS box and the printer-friendly PDF, if available, may have been discontinued since this project was published. Refer to the PURCHASE COMPONENTS and TOOLS AND OTHER SUPPLIES sections for current availability.

1. Cut a 6 inch length of 16 gauge gold wire. Straighten the wire with nylon jaw pliers if necessary.
2. Mold the wire into a rounded shape, using the 1 1/2 inch wooden dapping form as a circular mandrel (if you don't have a wooden mandrel, you can use another stiff round object, such as the cap of a bottle). Give the wire a gentle bend at the center, so the wire is shaped like a rounded teardrop and the ends of the wire cross at the top.
3. Take one tip of the wire and measure 1/2 inch above where the ends of the wire cross. Cut off the rest with flush cutters. Repeat this step for the other tip of the wire, so both of your wire ends measure 1/2 inch from the cross. Use a wire rounder tool to smooth any burrs on the ends of the wire.
4. Take your round nose pliers and grip one end of the wire between the widest part of the jaws. Twist your wrist forward along the outer edge of the form, creating a loop. Repeat this step for the other end of the wire, so you have two round loops at the top of your wire component (see the photo for reference). Shape the piece with your fingers so the loops are about 1/2 inch apart. Your piece should be about 2 inches long.
5. Place the wire component onto your steel bench block. Holding it carefully with the tips of your fingers, hammer the piece with a chasing hammer to slightly flatten and texturize the wire. During hammering the loops at the top of your piece might separate a bit; carefully close them again with flat nose pliers (your piece will be work-hardened from hammering, so it will be slightly more difficult to manipulate the wire). Once the piece has been evenly hammered, set it aside.
6. Cut a 6 inch length of 18 gauge gold wire.
7. Mold the wire into a smaller rounded shape, using the 3/4 inch dapping form as a circular mandrel. Give the wire a gentle bend at the center, so the wire is shaped like a rounded teardrop and the ends of the wire cross at the top.
8. With your round nose pliers, grip one end of the wire about 1/4 inch below where the ends of the wire cross. Give the wire a 90 degree bend outward. Repeat this step for the other end of the wire, so both ends of the wire are pointing outward.
9. Place the wire component onto your steel bench block. Holding it carefully with the tips of your fingers, hammer just the rounded teardrop part and the two 90 degree bends from the previous step -- do not hammer any farther out along the ends of the wire, or it will become too work-hardened to bend easily.
10. Hold the small wire component centered against the large component. Take one wire end of the small component and wrap it 3 times around the side of the large component just below the loop at the top. Cut off the excess wire with flush cutters. Repeat this step for the other end of the small wire component, wrapping it 3 times around the other side of the large component just below the loop. Your wire frame is now complete.
11. Cut a 1 foot length of 26 gauge gold wire. You will now connect the inner and outer wire components of the frame with gold beads at the bottom, as shown in the photo.
12. Watch our video on how to wire wrap rows of beads onto a form. Following the technique shown in the video, make 7 anchor wraps on the inner wire form, starting from the center of the piece and wrapping outward. String 1 gold Delica bead, 1 gold square bead, and 1 gold Delica bead. Then make 14 wraps on the outer wire form, wrapping inward toward the center of the piece. Then string 1 gold Delica bead, 1 gold square bead, and 1 gold Delica bead. Then make 7 wraps on the inner form, from the center of the piece outward. Then string 1 gold Delica bead, 1 gold square bead, and 1 gold Delica bead. Then make 14 more wraps on the outer form, wrapping toward the center of the piece so your coil meets up with the middle bead segment and looks like one continuous coil. Cut off the excess wire with flush cutters.
13. Cut a 14 inch length of 26 gauge gold wire. Now you will wire wrap the amazonite and gold beads in the center of the piece.
14. Eyeball where you want your top row of beads to go, and then make 12 anchor wraps on one side of the inner form, starting from below that mark and wrapping upward. String 1 gold square bead, 1 amazonite bead, and 1 gold square bead. Then make 12 wraps on the other side of the form, wrapping downward. Then string 1 amazonite bead, 1 gold square bead, and 1 amazonite bead. Make 12 downward wraps on the first side of the form, so your coil is flush with the anchor coil. Then string 1 gold square bead, 1 amazonite bead, and 1 gold square bead. Make 12 more wraps on the second side of the form, wrapping upward so your coil meets up with the middle bead segment and looks like one continuous coil. Cut off the excess wire with flush cutters. Now your focal piece is finished; set it aside.
15. Cut a 3 inch length of 18 gauge gold wire. Grip one end of the wire in the middle of the jaws of your round nose pliers and create a simple wire loop on one end of the wire. Cut off the excess with flush cutters.
16. Place the loop you created in the previous step on your steel bench block, holding the rest of the wire piece off the side of the block. Carefully hammer just the loop. The loop may separate a bit during hammering; close it back up with flat nose pliers.
17. String 1 gold square bead, 1 amazonite bead, and 1 gold square bead (some of the holes of the amazonite beads may be too small to fit on the wire, but most will fit). Create a simple wire loop on the other end of the component.
18. Holding the component by the beaded section, place only the loop from the previous step on your steel bench block. Carefully hammer the loop. The loop may separate a bit during hammering; close it back up with flat nose pliers.
19. Repeat steps 15-18 three more times, creating a total of four wire components with 2 gold square beads and 1 amazonite bead.
20. Repeat steps 15-18 another four times, except only string 1 gold square bead on these four components.
21. Cut two 6 inch lengths of gold chain. Set these aside.
22. Open a 6mm jump ring. Slide on one of the wire loops at the top of your focal piece, and one loop of one component with 2 gold square beads and 1 amazonite bead. Close the jump ring.
23. Open a 5mm jump ring. Slide on the other end of the component from the previous step, and one loop of one component with 1 gold square bead. Close the jump ring.
24. Open another 5mm jump ring. Slide on the other end of the component from the previous step, and one loop of one component with 2 gold square beads and 1 amazonite bead. Close the jump ring.
25. Open another 5mm jump ring. Slide on the other end of the component from the previous step, and one loop of one component with 1 gold square bead. Close the jump ring.
26. Open another 5mm jump ring. Slide on the other end of the component from the previous step, and the last link of one length of chain. Close the jump ring.
27. Repeat steps 22-26 to create the other side of the necklace.
28. Now you'll make the hook clasp. Begin by watching our video on how to make a wire wrapped hook and eye clasp. You'll be using a variation of this technique to make your clasp.
29. Cut a 3 inch length of 18 gauge gold wire.
30. Grip one end of the wire in the middle of your round nose pliers, and twist your wrist forward to create a loop.
31. Measure 1/2 inch from the inner end of the loop. Grip the wire in the widest part of your round nose pliers, and twist your wrist forward to bend wire in half.
32. Measure 3/4 inch from the bend and cut off the rest of the wire with flush cutters.
33. Grip the end of the wire in the tip of your round nose pliers and create a small loop.
34. Place the wire hook onto your steel bench block. Use the chasing hammer to hammer the bend of the hook, but not the loops. The hook might open a bit during hammering; reinsert your round nose pliers and tighten the hook around them.
35. Open the large loop of the hook clasp the same way you would open a jump ring, and slide on the last link of chain on one side of the necklace. Close the loop.
36. Open a 6mm jump ring and slide on the last link of chain on the other side of the necklace. Close the jump ring. All finished!

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• XTL-5511 - Beadsmith Jeweller's Micro Pliers Chain Nose Flat Nose
• XTL-5514 - Beadsmith Jewelry Fine Round Nose Micro Pliers
• XTL-5600 - Xuron Sharp Flush Cutter Pliers - Wire/Soft Flex
• XTL-0131 - Wire Rounder Tool With Wooden Handle 1.8mm Cup Bur
• XTL-0074 - Eurotool Nylon Jaw Pliers Chain Nose- For Scratch-Free Wire Work
• XTL-0259 - Domed Wooden Dapping Shaping Forms in Assorted Sizes for Metal
• XTL-2152 - Beadsmith Jeweler's Chasing Hammer - 1 Inch Head - Metal Smithing
• XTL-0250 - Eurotool Bench Block Helper - Rubber Base With Interchangeable Steel And Nylon Blocks