How to Handle the Elements

 

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Rare 19th century British Victorian crystal beads in a variety of settings — note the different bead caps.

All jewelry, in fact all engineered structures, have one thing in common; they are made up of a collection of elements. What is an element? It is a single repeatable item — in the case of JAL jewelry, this consists of a series of beads on a wire, to wit:

  1.    Form a loop at one end of the 4″ long .20 gauge copper wire.
  2.    Wrap the end of the wire to finish the loop.
  3.    Press the cut end of the wire deeply into the wrapping so it doesn’t catch on anything.
  4.   Thread on a 4mm round copper bead.
  5.    Add a spacer bead.
  6.    Add a bead cap if wanted, with the hollow side toward the main bead.
  7.    Add the gemstone or main bead.
  8.    Add a bead cap rotated opposite the first cap.
  9.    Add another spacer bead.
  10.    Add another 4mm round copper bead.
  11.    Make a loop to close off and finish the element.

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