Faceted Gem Earrings
Faceted gems set in a classic prong setting, hung from a timeless ear wire, will never go out of style. Learn how to wire wrap these dainty, sophisticated earrings in three ways.
Tools & Materials
2x 9-10 cm 24 gauge square wire
2x 7-8cm 24 gauge square wire
2x 10-12” 24 gauge 1/2 round wire
2x 4.5cm 20ga round wire (for making the ear wires; not included in this tutorial)
Needle-nose pliers and round pliers
Bail-making pliers with 2mm and 5mm barrels
Flush cutters
Ruler or measuring tape and fine-point Sharpie.
Step One
Prong and Wire Measurements
Prong height is 2mm by default, but if you have stones with a thick girdle, then you may want to use 2.5 or 3mm instead.
The distance between the prongs is determined by the dimensions of the gems you use. The goal is to create prongs that grasp the gem tightly and symmetrically.
You will also want to determine how many times to wrap after each last prong. The more wraps, the more negative space above the gem. In the video above, I used 6mm round gems, 2mm prong height, 4mm between each prong, and 5 wraps on each side. You can go as few as 3 terminating wraps for a 6mm gem if you want a tighter fit and a rounder shape.
7mmX9mm gems: 5mm spaces between prongs.
6mmx8mm gems: 5mm between the center two prongs, and 4mm between the two side prongs.
6mm round gems: 4mm between prongs.
Finish One: Simple
Finish Two: Pendant Style
Finish Three: Fancy Loops
