Gemstone-drop necklace

Suspend a gemstone from fine chain for a classic necklace

This necklace has a little bit of everything (gemstones, pearls, and chain) but the end result remains elegant, not busy. And since you only need a few of each bead, you can make this piece using your leftover stash.

Read the project instructions below, or click here for the free project PDF.

Supplies

30–35mm gemstone-drop pendant, top drilled
4 8mm round beads
4 4mm round beads
8 4–5mm button pearls
3 in. (7.6cm) 22-gauge half-hard wire
2 ft. (61cm) 24-gauge half-hard wire
30–36 in. (76–91cm) chain, 2mm links
2 3–4mm jump rings
lobster claw clasp
chainnose and roundnose pliers
diagonal wire cutters

Instructions

Step 1

1. Cut a 1 1⁄2-in. (3.8cm) piece of 24-gauge wire. Make a plain loop on one end. String an 8mm bead. Make a plain loop. Make four 8mm-bead units, four 4mm-bead units, and eight pearl units.

Step 2

2. To make a short strand: Cut chains to the lengths shown. Attach the bead units as shown by opening and closing the plain loops. Repeat.

Distances, left to right: ¾ in. to pearl unit; 3 in. from pearl unit to 4mm-bead unit, 1 ¾ in. from bead unit to pearl unit.

Step 3

3. To make a long strand: Cut chains to the lengths shown. Attach the bead units as shown. Repeat.

Distances, left to right: 1 ½ in. to 4mm-bead unit, ¾ in. to pearl unit, ¾ in. to 8mm-bead unit, 1 in. to pearl unit, 1 in. to 8mm-bead unit.

Step 4

4. Cut a 3-in. (7.6cm) piece of 22-gauge wire. String a drop pendant and make a set of wraps above it. Make the first half of a wrapped loop above the wraps. Attach the strands, positioning the long strands on the outside, and complete the wraps.

Tip!

If your gemstone-drop pendant is drilled very close to the top of the bead, you can attach it with a jump ring instead of a wrapped loop. Open the jump ring and attach the chains, then position the jump ring so that its opening is inside the drop.

Step 5

5. Check the fit, allowing 2–4 in. (5–10cm) for finishing. Cut two 1–2-in. (2.5–5cm) pieces of chain. Cut two more pieces, each 1⁄4 in. (6mm) longer than the previous pieces. (My necklaces are 15 1⁄2 in./39.4cm.) Attach each long chain to the end loop of each short strand. Attach each short chain to the end loop of each long strand.

On one side, open a jump ring and attach one pair of strands and a lobster claw clasp. Close the jump ring. Repeat on the other side, omitting the clasp.

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Gemstone-drop necklace

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