Wire wrapping stones is a fairly easy craft, and if done right, it allows you to create some beautiful pieces of jewelry which are one-of-a-kind. You only need a few basic materials to wire wrap a beautiful stone. You need a gemstone, two different types of pliers, and some gauge wire.
The wire is possibly one of the most important materials when it comes to wire-wrapping jewelry. It comes in different gauges, strengths, and materials.
What is the best gauge wire for wrapping stones? The best gauge wire for wrapping crystals and stones is a 20-gauge wire. A 20-gauge wire is easy to bend and wrap, but it will not break as easily either. Copper wire is the most common and the most affordable, so it is a good choice across the board.
There are some great wires on the market to use for wire wrapping, and you can get them in a few different colors depending on the metal used to make the wire. You need to ensure that the wire you choose is strong enough to resist breaking, but still workable enough to be wrapped around the stones.
The Best Wire Wrapping Tools For Jewelry
The wire is probably the most important tool to use in wire wrapping jewelry, but there are a few other important tools you need to have.
1. A 20-gauge wire
Regarding gauge, the lower number means a thicker wire.
For example, a 16- to 18-gauge wire is hard to bend, but it does hold its shape really well. A 24- to 26-gauge wire bends very easily but is also easily damaged.
As you become more comfortable with wrapping, you can try out different gauges to see what suits your projects and your style best.
2. Needle-nose pliers and side-cutting pliers
You will need two types of pliers: needle-nose pliers and side-cutting pliers.
The needle-nose pliers will be used to do the wrapping, and the side-cutting pliers will be used to cut your wires. While you do not need to buy the most expensive pliers on the market, it does make it worth your while to choose ones with a comfortable grip.
3. Crystals and/or stones
The last thing you will need is the gemstones or regular stones to wrap. You can choose either tumbled or rough-cut stones, with gemstones that have holes drilled through their centers being the easiest to work with.
The 7 Best Gauge Wire For Wrapping Stones
To help you choose the right wire to wrap your stones, we have found the best 7. Some are copper, but there are a few made from different metals, to help achieve a different look when creating jewelry.
| Rank | Recommended Wire | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Bare Copper Wire For Hobby Craft | Dead soft, 20-gauge wire, 99.95% copper |
| 2. | Beadalon Artistic Brass Wire | Soft temper wire, 20 gauge, brass wire with enamel coating |
| 3. | Benecreat Various Metal Wire | Silver, gold, copper, and antique bronze wire, 20 gauge |
| 4. | Dead Soft Copper Wire | Dead soft, 99.9% pure copper, large spool |
| 5. | Beadalon Silver Plated Copper Wire | 24-gauge wire, antique copper color (rose gold) |
| 6. | Artistic Non-Tarnish Silver Wire | Clear-coating silver wire, 22 gauge |
| 7. | Craft Copper Wire, Pink | 20-gauge wire, 100% copper with pink coating |
1. Bare Copper Wire For Hobby Craft
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This is probably the best gauge wire to purchase if you are a beginner, or if you are looking for an all-round wire to use in your jewelry making and wire wrapping.
Soft and flexible, the wire is easy to wrap around the stones and to wrap around itself, without breaking.
It is a dead soft wire. However, the wire is strong enough to resist bending and being put under pressure. It can be hammered and soldered without breaking.
This copper wire is good for achieving a rustic look when creating jewelry, rather than a shiny copper look, so this is something to consider when choosing a wire.
The spool is labeled with the gauge which makes it easy to identify.
It is 99.95% pure solid copper, with a 20-gauge. The wire measures 25 feet, more than enough for a good amount of wire wrapping!
2. Beadalon Artistic Brass Wire
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The Beadalon Artistic Wire is great to use to make jewelry and to use for wire wrapping pendants and stones.
It is a soft temper wire and is easily shaped, but not easily broken. The tarnish-resistant coating keeps the wire shiny.
The wire is permanently enamel colored, making it perfect for jewelry and crafts.
The brass wire with a clear tarnish-resistant coating can withhold against coiling, spiral making, wrapping, twisting, and many other wire working techniques.
It is a great wire to keep in your jewelry making craft box.
3. Benecreat Various Metal Wire
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If you cannot decide a color to work with, or if you simply want them all, this is the ideal pack for you.
The package includes 4 different rolls of 20-gauge wire in silver, gold, copper, and antique bronze. Each roll measures 11 yards.
The wires are all malleable, flexible, and pliable. The soft temper wire is easy to shape or bend, making it perfect for wire wrapping.
All the different color wires have a tarnish-resistant coating, which allows it to be permanently enamel colored without wearing or losing its shine.
This pack will be a great addition to your collection of wire wrapping tools and will give you so many options for your next few projects.
4. Dead Soft Copper Wire
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This premium quality copper wire will help you make some stunning pieces of wire wrapped jewelry.
The copper wire is made from premium materials and retains its bright copper color throughout.
It can be soldered, hammered, and wrapped around itself without breaking.
It is made from 99.9% pure copper, which is not lacquer or plated, it is just the real thing. The spool weighs 1 pound, and the wire is a dead soft temper.
This large spool will give you enough wire to work through a large number of projects, whether it be wire wrapping or for other jewelry making applications.
5. Beadalon Silver Plated Copper Wire
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This artistic wire is ideal for jewelry making and wire wrapping. It has been created for exactly that, so it has all the properties it needs to ensure it is a pleasant wrapping experience.
The package contains 10 yards of 24-gauge wire, which is a little thicker thinner than the wire used for larger stones, but it is still good to use for smaller stones and embellishments.
The antique copper color is very similar to rose gold, which pairs perfectly with certain colored gemstones used in jewelry making and wire wrapping.
6. Artistic Non-Tarnish Silver Wire
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Another artistic wire, this non-tarnish silver wire will keep its shine and color, even when bent and wrapped.
The clear-coated silver wire does not tarnish and helps to keep that elegant look that silver achieves so well.
The 22-gauge wire is the perfect balance between the 20-gauge used for larger stones, and the 24-gauge used for finer embellishments.
Placed on a convenient spool, the wire will not become tangled or damaged either during use or when being stored.
7. Craft Copper Wire, Pink
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The pink wire is just so pretty and will take your wire wrapping to the next level when used with the right stones.
This pink wire is 20-gauge, making it useful for many different types of projects.
It is 100% copper, based on an anti-tarnish coating. It is ideal for different crafting projects, as well as wrapping stones and gems.
There are 8-yards of wire per package, so a decent amount for a good few projects, adding in the pretty pink copper color!
Related Questions
What is soft temper wire?
Soft temper wire is the softest temper used by jewelry makers and hobbyists. The thin wires, which are soft in temper, behave like fiber and can be used in a few different techniques, such as coiling, weaving, and even stitching.
What you can do with a soft tempered wire will depend on the gauge, but the thinner the soft tempered wire, the more it acts like fiber. Soft tempered wire is easy to bend and wrap, but also tends to damage easier.
What is dead soft wire?
Dead soft wire refers to the hardness of wire and is usually used to describe gold or sterling silver filled wire. Dead soft wire has not been hardened, which makes it the most malleable of wires, it puts up little resistance to being shaped.
It is good to use when there is a lot of bending and looping, which is what is required for wire wrapping stones. You can harden dead soft wire by pulling it through nylon-jawed pliers, by pressing it with pliers or by hammering it with a rawhide hammer.
The Best Gauge Wire For Wire Wrapping
When you are looking for the best gauge wire for wire wrapping, you should look to try a 20-gauge wire. It is a good balance between malleability and strength, allowing you to wrap around stones with relative ease, but still be sure that they will stay in place and protect the stones.
If you are wanting the wire to keep its shine and color, you should look for one which has an anti-tarnish coating. This protects the wire from dulling and damage and keeps a wonderful shine that really helps elevate the jewelry to the next level.
Up Next: The Best Wire For Jewelry Making
