DIY

Black pearls are quite intriguing. Most people are used to seeing the more commonly used white and cream colored pearls, but black pearls are starting to become quite the fashion trend. They are versatile because they can be used in so many different jewelry pieces, including bracelets. You could go shopping for a black pearl bracelet, or you could save money and get one completely customized to your liking by making it yourself. Even if you do not have professional jewelry making experience, you can make your own black pearl bracelet by following a few simple steps.

The first step is gathering all the supplies and tools you need. For basic pearl bracelets you only need some jewelry wire, wire nippers, black pearls to make up the bracelet, any additional beads such as spacer beads if you want to include any, two crimp beads, two crimp bead covers, crimping pliers, one jump ring and one clasp such as a lobster claw clasp.

Cut the required length of wire. This depends on how loose or tight you want the bracelet to be, what size your wrist is—or the wrist of who you are making the bracelet for if you want it to be a gift—and you must include an extra few inches to ensure you have enough for finishing the piece. Once you have cut your wire, place a crimp bead over one end of the necklace and use the crimping pliers to close it over the wire. Crimp a crimp bead cover over top of this for a more finished look.

Now you can start stringing on the beads. You can alternate between pearls and additional beads as you like, creating any sort of pattern you want. You can really get creative with this, just make sure you leave a few extra inches on the opposite end of the wire. Place your second crimp bead on, immediately after the last strung bead and close it over the wire with your crimping pliers. Place the remaining crimp bead cover over top of this crimp bead and cut any remaining wire off. Now your bracelet is finished.

It can take a bit of practice to master jewelry making skills and make a professional looking bracelet but it is not that hard. The best part is that you can use literally any black pearls or other beads you want and you will still be paying a fraction of what it would cost you to purchase the same bracelet in a store.

Seed pearls are quite a popular choice in jewelry making today. They are beautiful, classic, delicate and actually affordable. There are a few different types of pearls to choose from, but the seed pearls tend to be the most sought after. They have been around and used in jewelry designs for decades now and can work for bracelets, necklaces, rings and other pieces. Seed pearl tiaras actually sold for thousands of dollars in the 1900s.

If you want to incorporate seed pearls into your own jewelry designs, there are a few ways to go about this. You could make a pearl necklace for one thing, as this is one of the easiest designs for a novice jewelry maker. For this project you will need some beading wire, two crimp beads, clasp, jump ring, two crimp bead covers, pearls, crimping pliers and a pair of wire nippers to cut the wire.

Start your piece by cutting some wire to the proper length. Keep in mind you need the desired length of wire plus an additional four or five inches, to give you room to finish the necklace. It is always better to have a bit too much wire left over at the end and have to cut it off, rather than not having enough and having to start all over again and waste that wire.

Once you have your wire you can use the crimping pliers to crimp one crimp bead onto one end of the wire. This stops the pearls from falling off as you string the necklace. Now you want to start placing your pearls on the necklace one by one, until you have the design you want and the necklace is of proper length. To finish the necklace, you add on the second crimp bead and crimp covers, then add on the clasp and jump ring.

Any excess wire should be trimmed off at this point, leaving you with a gorgeous necklace with no loose ends. To add more pizazz to the piece, think of hanging a pendant or choose a fancier clasp. You could also use a toggle clasp and keep this as the side of the necklace to make a more unconventional piece.

You can purchase seed pearls from most jewelry supply stores. They are very inexpensive and buying at wholesale prices you can get enough to do a few different pieces. They are beautiful and can work in any design.