Make a beautiful gemstone necklace with Peruvian Opals. This necklace is not hard to make and you can customize it with any gemstones you like. We’ll show you how to make the S-connectors from wire, how to connect the gemstones with wrapped loops, and how to attach the chain.

Once you learn these wirework techniques you can make all kinds of DIY jewelry including earrings, necklaces, and bracelets!

Here’s a video we made showing how to make this Gemstone Necklace. Follow along with us while we make it, then use the instructions below to make your own. And we’d love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments if you make your own!

How To Make A Gemstone Necklace

Materials To Make A Gemstone Necklace

3 Large faceted gemstone beads (Ours are Peruvian Opal.)
Wire, 24-gauge, silver or silver-plate
Wire, 20-gauge, silver or silver-plate
Loopy chain, silver or silver-plate

Tools

Wire cutters
Round-nose pliers

Steps To Make The Gemstone Necklace

1. Cut a 2″ piece of 20-gauge wire. Grasp the end of the wire with the small end of the round-nose pliers. Roll the pliers to make a small loop in the end of the wire.

Slide the wire into the jaws of the pliers all the way to the thickest part. Rest the small loop on the jaws. Bend the end of the wire with your fingers around the thickest jaws of the plies in the opposite direction of the small loop.

Reposition the wire into the thickest part of the pliers just after the big loop. Bend the wire around the jaws in the opposite direction of the last loop.

Grasp the end of the wire with the smallest part of the pliers and curl a small loop in the end until it is flush with the last loop. Trim off any overlapping wire in your loop using the wire cutters. Repeat this process to make four S-connectors.

2. Once you have four S-connectors, it’s time to connect the gems together. To do this, cut a piece of 24-gauge wire 5” long. Grasp the wire with round-nose pliers 1″ from the end. Bend the tail of the wire over the pliers 90 degrees. Move the pliers to grip the wire just above the 90-degree turn. Grasp the tail of the wire with your fingers and wrap it around the pliers to make a partial loop. Attach the partial loop to the S-connector.

Reposition the pliers in the partial loop and finish pulling the wire around the pliers to complete the loop. Wrap the tail around the straight wire twice. Use the wire cutters to trim the tail. Slide on a gemstone. Make another wrapped loop, sliding an S-connector into the loop before you close it.

3. Repeat step 2 to add two more beads.

4. Measure the beads and S-connectors then subtract that length from the length you want your necklace to be. Our beads and wire measure 6.5″ and we want an 18.5″ length necklace, so we cut 12″ of chain. Slide the end of the chain into one S-connector and the other end in the other.

You can make this necklace with any beads you like and as many as you like. You can use big faceted crystals. You can use beads that are the same or different. Go shopping for beads and see what inspires you!
Have fun!
Jennifer & Kitty

We love getting Pinned!