Elegant Wire Wrapped Ring with Gemstone Briolette Bead

Ring Me Up

Making another wire wrap ring is on the agenda today.  This has to be one of the simplest wire wrap ring designs, but with the right beads, it always looks great.

Here's a link to a well done free tutorial at Lytha Studios. (no need for me to re-create it here).

The reason I'm posting this today is because  the last picture on the tutorial has always inspired me.  Most of the rings in the tutorial are pretty standard stuff - 8mm faceted crystal, 8mm round pearl, a nice flat faceted crystal - hmm, another unique idea - but the last picture of the onion briolette got me.  What an elegant little ring!

So, I had to find a similar stone and try it out.

Here are my new rings -  one made using a dark purple faceted  8x6 mm teardrop cubic zirconia.  It has amazing sparkle.

And another ring with smooth moonstone bead, slightly flatter but generally of the same proportions.  It is also a great stone since it gives a little blue flash whenever the light hits it just right.

Due to the smaller hole sizes on gemstones and briolettes, I had to use 24g wire to make these rings.  To compensate and keep the ring sturdy, I wrapped an extra time around the mandrel like it was suggested in the tutorial.

These rings still look great as part of a stack, either with other gemstone rings or with bands.

The only caution I have if you make these rings, is to be careful removing it from the mandrel.  Don't twist or grab it by the stone since it would be very easy to break the tip off.  That's not something you need to worry about when you are using center drilled beads.

Plus this!

Are you on Google + ?  I am - and would love to have more jewelry making friends in my circles.