Ear Wire Findings

Instructions in how to make an ear wire finding out of jewelry wire using WigJig jewelry making tools:

An ear wire is the jewelry making finding that is used to connect a decorative earring body to the wearer's ear. Most findings are made commercially and sold in large quantities. For simple, standard ear wires purchasing ear wires makes sense when they are available for the simple reason that they can be made inexpensively and save your time. For those of you who want something different making your own ear wires can be a way to distinguish your work as something that wasn't made by a machine. The ear wires shown at right are larger than normal and incorporate a bead that matches the beads used in the earring body. This is one example of a customized ear wire.

We have several patterns for ear wires. Some of our patterns like the ones shown above-right are similar to the common French style or shepherd's hook style of ear wires. We have other patterns that are unique and not available to be purchased commercially. Please select any of the pictures below to view our instructions for making that style of ear wires. For ear wires, we recommend using only gold, gold-filled, sterling silver, brass or copper wire. We do not recommend using any colored wire because the dyes in the wire can be carcinogenic if worn for a prolonged period of time.

Jewelry Making Supplies Required:

• 20 or 21 gauge jewelry wire

• 2, 3 or 4mm beads (for some ear wires)

Jewelry Making Tools Required:

• Nylon jaw pliers

• Ruler

• Flush cutter

• Round nose pliers

• Bent chain nose pliers

• Wigjig jewelry making tool

Jewelry Making Skills Required:

• Ability to straighten jewelry wire using nylon jaw pliers jewelry tool.

•Ability to cut jewelry wire using a flush cuter jewelry tool.

• Ability to bend jewelry wire using bent chain nose pliers jewelry tool.

• Ability to make a loop in jewelry wire using round nose pliers jewelry tool.

• Ability to make a jewelry wire component using WigJig jewelry making tool.

Considerations for making your own ear wires using WigJig jewelry tools:

We hope you will find a style of ear wire that you like. If you are making your jewelry to sell, we strongly suggest trying the "Stays On" Ear Wire design shown above and at right. This design stands out as hand made, and it will help to differentiate your jewelry from the mass produced jewelry. We also recommend that if you go to the effort of making your own ear wires, that you consider adding a 4mm bead to your ear wire that matches the beads in your earrings. This is another step that you can do to help differentiate your jewelry from the mass produced jewelry.