Jewelry Tutorial – How To Make A Beaded Ring with Herkimer Diamond

Jewelry Tutorial – How To Make A Beaded Ring with Herkimer Diamond

Note that any of the beads and the wire can pretty much be substituted.  It is a matter of comfort and you want the wire you choose must be able to go through some of the beads twice.


Thread the beads for the ring with desired wire.  Here I have used 26 gauge (0.4mm) gold filled round wire – soft (online product code FW18G).  You can use Softflex or tiger tail, but I would not suggest this method for fishing line or elastic.


The last bead of one side should be a crimp bead (or crimp tube).  Here I have used a 2mm seamless gold filled round bead (FD2HG).  I prefer those to crimp tubes, for daintier items, because they are smaller and easier to use.  If you’re using thicker wire, or for heavier projects, this may not be big enough or secure enough.  

Jewelry Tutorial – How To Make A Beaded Ring with Herkimer Diamond
Tip – If you are not using a ring sizer, check to make sure that the size works by removing and putting it on the finger while pinching the wires together.  Our knuckles might be thicker than we think!


Thread both wires through the crimp bead, and two more beads to the right and left of it.  Then, pull the wires tightly (bringing all the beads together).

  Tip – pliers are very helpful here.  If you’re using wire and not tiger tail or Softflex, I find it helps to bend the wire a little bit after and it doesn’t slip back.  Make sure there is no gap.  


Once you’re happy with this, crimp down on the crimp bead.   Then slip on the crimp cover bead.  Using pliers, gently close the crimp cover.  
Trim the excess wire and tuck the end inside of the beads.  Now, it looks seamless!  


In this video I used 2.5mm gold filled round seamless beads (FDEZG) and 3mm crimp cover (FDE2G), with a 2mm bead for crimp (FD2HG).  If you want all of the beads to be identical, you can choose a small crimp cover or larger beads.  However, I find that it isn’t highly noticeable, it is in the back and a larger cover is easier to assemble.