How Do I Put a Hole in a Jewel?

by mary lyons
(Atlanta GA)

hello, my name is Mary and I don't know how to make jewelry.

I am learning. I went and bought a lot of beads to start.

I'm looking at books and on the internet. I am a little nervous. Where do I start? I have some beautiful jewels without holes in them and I want to make earrings for a friend in the church.

Do you know how to put a hole in jewel?

Comments for
How Do I Put a Hole in a Jewel?

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Rating

Holes
by: Stacy

If you don't have a drill with a fine bit and a vice to hold the jewels in, you can always take them to a jeweler and pay a small fee to have them do it for you.

Just figure out if you are planning to wire wrap and need a side drilled hole, or if you're going to use a bail with a jump ring and need a front to back drilled hole before you do it.

Rating

Not sure I'd want to drill my own holes...
by: Christine

I'm not sure what you mean by "jewel". do you mean an actual honest to goodness gemstone?

Generally people don't make their own holes in gemstones (unless you want to risk cracking or chipping it). I'd try to think of another way to attach a loop to it if I were you.

You could wire-wrap it, bezel-set it (a pretty advanced technique) or you could glue a bale onto it. Gluing the bale is the easiest solution.

Add a comment to give me some more info and some feedback on this answer if you'd like :-)

Christine ~how-to-make-jewelry

Rating

I'VE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS
by: Foxfyr1

Hi Mary,

Good luck on your endeavors in jewelry making.

When I started making jewelry (about 1 year ago), I had the same trouble.

The only stones I could find reasonable enough to allow for start-up were undrilled, but I did not know enough to ask that at the time.

I've since discovered that half-round and square sterling and gold-filled wire are the 2 best suited for wire-wrapping if you intend to combine with seed beads or other small scale beading mediums as they offer small enough diameter to maintain the desired petiteness and delicacy of the project under construction.

Also, they offer the best holds for crimps and wire wrap sets.

In my opinion they also look and sell better.