Hot tips for wire-wrappers - Chapter 1: Setting Stones

Dear wire wrappers,

let me begin with a little bit of boring theory. Before I start talking about setting stones into your wire jewelry, I think it is necessary to explain the main difference between wire wrapping and goldsmith or silversmith techniques. It is quite simple - soldering. A wire wrapper never uses any kind of heat to work the wire or never solders it. Also a wire wrapper uses wire only, while a goldsmith also uses metal tin, which can be sawed, drilled, bent or formed in many ways. The metal can also be melted, forged and soldered. While a wire wrapper never solders or heats the wire, only bends, wraps, cuts, twists, or hammers it. Of course as an artist, you are absolutely free to use any kind of technique to create your own jewelry and a lot of artists combine techniques from both fields to get the results they want. However they need to be familiar with the goldsmith techniques, which require special equipment and advanced craftsmanship, to be able to do so.

That is why as a wire wrapper you have a limited choice of ways how to set a stone into your jewelry. On the other hand, the options you have are plenty to create beautiful works of art. So, in my view, it is reasonable to be aware of what you can and cannot do within your wire wrapping art.

For example, do not expect to be able to set a solitaire stone in the classical way you see it e.g. in the engagement rings. That is work of experienced goldsmiths which has nothing to do with wire wrapping. To illustrate that, I have added a picture of different kinds of silver frames that goldsmiths use to set stones.

So what you CAN actually do?
- There are two basic ways how to set a stone into a wire wrapped jewelry.

1) Using stones with holes inside of them, string them on a wire and wrap around them. You can also buy all kinds of beads made out of stones and use them to decorate your works.

2) Using stones without holes and wrap the wire around them, so they sit tight in their place.

– Is it not enough? –

Well look at the picture of my dragon eye, what do you think? That is also why not all stones are suitable for wire wrapping.

Would you like me to tell you more about the stones I use in my wire wrapping creations? Would you like me to tell you how I use them? Is there any particular type of jewelry with stones that you would be interested in making? Write in the comments.