So, I’ve been wanting a gold filled tennis bracelet for a while now. You know, one of those classic pieces that just goes with everything? I did a little digging online, but honestly, the prices were all over the place and I wasn’t sure about the quality. That’s when I decided to just make one myself.
First things first, I needed supplies. I hit up a local craft store – you know, the kind with aisles and aisles of beads and findings. It was a little overwhelming at first, but I managed to find some decent gold filled wire and some pretty cubic zirconia stones. I also picked up some basic jewelry-making tools like pliers and wire cutters.
Gathering My Tools
- Gold filled wire (I chose a medium gauge – not too thick, not too thin)
- Cubic zirconia stones (gotta have that sparkle)
- Round nose pliers (for making loops)
- Flat nose pliers (for gripping and bending)
- Wire cutters (essential for trimming)
- Clasp (I chose a simple lobster clasp)
- Jump rings (for attaching the clasp)
Back home, I started by measuring my wrist. I wanted the bracelet to be snug but not too tight. After figuring out the length, I cut a piece of wire a bit longer than needed, just to give myself some wiggle room.
The next part was a bit tricky – creating the links. I used my round nose pliers to make a small loop at one end of the wire. Then I fed a cubic zirconia stone through, followed by another loop. This created a single link with a stone in the middle. Rinse and repeat, many, many times. This part took forever! My fingers were definitely feeling it, but I kept at it, link by link.
Once I had enough links to go around my wrist, I added a jump ring to each end of the bracelet. Then, I attached the lobster clasp to one of the jump rings. It was pretty straightforward, just a matter of opening and closing the jump rings with my pliers.
Finally, I tried it on. It fit perfectly! It had that nice weight to it and the stones caught the light just right. Sure, it wasn’t perfect – some of the links were a little wonky, but you know what? I made it myself, and that’s what matters.
It took some time, lots of patience, and maybe a few curse words, but I ended up with a gold filled tennis bracelet that I’m actually really proud of. Plus, it was way cheaper than buying one pre-made. If you are thinking about making your own jewelry, just do it! It’s a fun process. And you will get a unique thing that you made by yourself!