Handmade Jewelry-Making Basics: If Money is Tight, Make Your Own Sterling Earrings

Americans are cutting back on expenses as never before in recent years.  Personal and family budgets often cut spending first on gifts and costume jewelry purchases. Handmade sterling silver earrings may fill the need for costume jewelry or for inexpensive gifts.

A new jewelry maker can create handmade sterling silver earrings for less than the cost of a fast-casual lunch or dinner out.  One does not need complicated tools and an endless supply of components to make elegant, attractive earrings.

This article presents only sterling silver earwires, posts and components for two reasons:

• Sterling Silver is hypoallergenic for most people
• Sterling Silver, a precious metal, costs much less than white gold or platinum

What are Jewelry Findings

In jewelry terms, “jewelry findings”, or just “findings”, are jewelry components less than a finished piece. 

Common Earring Findings

One type of earring finding is an earwire (also known as a “french wire” or a “hook”).  An “earring post” has a “post” (“stick”) that fits through the piercing, with an “ear back” (also known as a “ear nuts”, “butterfly clutches” or “stoppers”) that fits over the stick behind the ear.  A full ball, half ball, shield, or other design will be soldered onto the front of the post.

Sterling Silver Earrings: No Tools Required

The first simple earring design needs no tools to assemble — hands are good enough.  Good sterling silver shield post earring findings show a thin, rounded profile in the vertical.  a “U”-shaped hook soldered to the bottom edge of these findings is open to the back.  One only needs to hang a Sterling/Cubic Zirconia Bezel-set drop with a soldered ring at the top from the “U”-shaped hook, then pinch the top of the hook closed with the fingers.

With representative prices of $2.35 per pair for Sterling Silver Shield Post earring findings and $6.97 or less for a pair of bezel-set Sterling/Colorless Cubic Zirconia drops, one may make a pair of earrings with the fire and sparkle of simulated diamond for less than $10 (not including shipping or sales tax), with no tools.  For those who prefer earrings entirely of sterling silver, replace the Sterling/Cubic Zirconia drop with a pair of sterling teardrops with soldered top loops for $2.65 per pair.  You can keep your cost of a pair of sterling silver earring less than $8.

Tools Recommended for Simple Earrings

Flat nose pliers or chain nose pliers are the tools recommended for most earring styles considered in this article.  These pliers, when used in jewelry making, will be smooth on the inside, to minimize the marks added to jewelry; normal pliers usually have serrated jaws to “bite” into metal.

Sterling Silver Earrings: One Tool Required

Many earring posts and earwires have open rings soldered to the bottom of the earring findings.  These open rings need to be gently opened to the side to hang a drop or dangle.  It MAY be possible to do that with your hands, but we recommend one pair of either flat nose pliers or chain nose pliers because they will offer you better control than using only your hands.

To use either earring posts or earring findings, one must GENTLY move part of the open ring soldered to the bottom of the finding to the side.  Then, it is possible to hang a drop or a wire-wrapped dangle onto the open ring.  Once again, use the pliers to GENTLY move the open piece of the ring back into place — to close the gap of the open ring.  

With a representative price of $0.66 for a pair of short Sterling Silver French earwires and a pair of 4mm Sterling/Cubic Zirconia bezel-set drops, you can make a pair of earrings for under $5 (before shipping or sales tax).

Inexpensive Earrings for Formal Affairs

For formal affairs, such as weddings or holiday parties, a pair of 6mm Princess Cut Sterling/Clear Cubic Zirconia posts with 6mm Sterling/Clear Bezel Set Cubic Zirconia drops are stunning earrings that can be made for under $16; one set of pliers is recommended to assemble these as discussed above.

Earrings with Wire Wraps

Dangles made with wire wraps require some instruction and practice for good-looking results, but they increase the number of possible earring designs one may choose to make.  Wire wrapping will usually take three tools: flush cutters, chain nose pliers and round nose pliers.

Wire wrapped dangles may incorporate a greater variety of beads, charms and findings.

Conclusion

Families feeling a “budget crunch” can still indulge in sterling silver costume jewelry for personal wear or for gift giving, offering pleasing handcrafted gifts to loved ones and wearing attractive earrings, too.

About the Author

Paul Brandon knows earring findings and writes for OhioBeads.com, which sells bulk jewelry chains and jewelry making findings to the U.S. market.

Daniel Sterling French Open 2003

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