Jewelry Making Resources | Fire Mountain Gems and Beads

Single-Strand Necklace

Delicate and enchanting, this necklace features a graceful butterfly pendant accented with fluttering crystal drops—capturing the essence of transformation and beauty in flight.

Design Idea RJ24

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Single-Strand Necklace and Earrings Set

Master the art of crafting soldered, hammered jewelry with this striking necklace and earring set. Follow the instructions to create a statement-making look.

Design Idea QH3U

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Single-Strand Necklace and Earring Set

Explore the understated elegance of Crystal Passions® crystal AB beads, softly gleaming in this earthy necklace, accented with sterling silver touches.

Design Idea QK23

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Earrings

Coppery crimps and stardust crimp covers pair up in this swinging earring design featuring fine sterling silver serpentine or box chain and secure leverback ear wires.

Design Idea F50V

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Single-Strand Necklace and Earrings Set

Crystal Passions® light rose faceted briolette reflects positive energy along with the awareness ribbon charms on this necklace and earring set.

Design Idea PG23

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Single-Strand Necklace and Earring Set

The captivating asymmetry of this necklace and earring set draws focus to the sterling silver heart charms and links that unite the rich Crystal Passions® Bordeaux beads.

Design Idea HA1N

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Single-Strand Necklace

Radiant copper and cultured pearls elegantly entwine, forming a regal and feminine necklace that gleams with opulent luster.

Design Idea PM36

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Double-Strand Necklace and Earring Set

Let your creations shine like the sky after rain by crafting this double-strand necklace and earring set featuring sky-blue topaz, gold-filled beads and the raw beauty of druzy agate.

Design Idea JA2P

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Work Hardening Metal

Jewelry-making expert Tammy Honaman explores work hardening metal in this informative article. Learn how to make gold, sterling silver, sterling silver-filled, copper, brass, bronze and nickel metal rigid or malleable to suit your design needs.

A Guide to Metals

What does your choice of metal say about you? This article explores the meaning of different metals in jewelry designs to help you learn what your jewelry is saying.

Single-Strand Necklace

Indulge in elegance with this 14Kt gold-filled triple rope necklace, showcasing a single dyed cultured freshwater semi-round Pearl adorned with a silver peacock hue. It's complemented by a captivating Crystal Passions® amethyst shimmer faceted rondelle, beautifully accented with gold details for a touch of luxury.

Design Idea QD2P

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Sterling Silver-Filled Wire and Findings

Find the answers to your questions about sterling silver-filled wire and findings in this performance results test conducted by jewelry-making experts. Discover why this metal offer a tremendous value and amazing workability.

Ask the Experts Best Gauge for Making Earring Wires Q&A

Q: What is the best size and type of sterling silver wire to make earring wires?

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Ask the Experts Hammering Metals Q&A

Q: Please tell me what tool to use for a hammered look on metals like sterling silver and gold-filled?

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Ask the Experts Cleaning and Polishing Q&A

Q: I have trouble with gold/silver filled findings darkening over time. What can I use on them to keep them shiny as if new?

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Ask the Experts Briolettes Q&A

Q: I purchased a string of tourmaline briolettes with the holes cut at the top from Fire Mountain. I want to attach them to a gold filled chain (like a string of fish) for earrings. The problem is the holes are much too small to attach with head pins. I have the 26 gauge gold-filled wire from your catalog--but in a dilemma to get the half-hard or full-hard through to make the twisted loop attachment?

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Ask the Experts Sterling Silver-Filled Q&A

Q: Can your new dead soft silver-filled wire be work-hardened?

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Art Clay Silver - Paste Type

Learn the steps for using Art Clay® Silver Paste for safely filling molds, embellishing porcelain and glass, connecting clay pieces and attaching silver wire.

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Ask the Experts Viking Knit Q&A

Q: I have learned to make Viking knit chain and want to move from craft wire to gold-filled, sterling silver, or fine silver. I like 26 gauge but I'm not sure if I should use dead-soft or half-hard. After weaving, I draw the wire through a drawplate to even out the weave and stretch/thin the chain. It may be drawn through 2-8 times depending on how thin I want the final result to be. Hammering would deform the chain. Any recommendations? I'm also looking for appropriate end caps for the chain.

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Ask the Experts Attaching Clasps to Bulk Chain Q&A

Q: What findings are used for attaching clasps to sterling silver or gold-filled chain sold by the yard? What is the best technique for it?

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Ask the Experts Solder Q&A

Q: First, how can I solder silver-filled pieces onto copper or brass without the alloys in the silver-filled showing? And for this reason, I'm assuming silver-filled CANNOT be annealed? Second, do some metals take longer to anneal than others? I'm new to jewelry making and will be working with copper, brass and sterling silver. Thank you for your time.

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Ask the Experts Plated and Precious Metal Clasps Q&A

Q: I am trying to understand the difference of quality and longevity when using gold plated or gold filled clasps; also silver, or nickel. I think there must be many versions of gold plated as some tend to wear off immediately and others last. I am not making expensive pieces yet but I would like to use good quality clasps that last. What do you recommend and how do I recognize good from bad. I live in China and feel very unsure even when they tell me its good; price is not always the indicator!

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Ask the Experts Refining and Recycling Scrap Q&A

Q: I do wire work with mostly sterling silver and 14k gold-filled wire. My silver scraps I send to a local artist who works with silver but what can I do with my gold-filled scraps?

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Sterling Silver-Filled

Made by combining an outer layer of sterling silver (.925/20) around a copper-alloy core. Completed with an anti-tarnish coating to preserve its beauty.

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