Jewelry Durability for Crafters

1) Use the strongest and most durable materials you can.

- While slim wire or cord is often less expensive, it also breaks more readily. Keep a supply of heavier stringing materials on hand for those 'chunky' or heavy pieces.

- Dainty clasps should be used on dainty pieces -- for heavier pieces, make sure your clasps and findings are able to stand up to the needs of your design.


2) Consider the weight of your beads and spacers before choosing how to string them.

- Elastic cord is sufficient for lightweight pieces, but when working with heavier beads, it's often overloaded with the sheer weight of the beads, and regular wear will inevitably lead to a broken cord. Large glass or stone beads often are far too heavy for elastic cord. If you must put them on elastic, try doubling up! (See below)

- If you want something that is durable but doesn't need a catch, memory wire is a good alternative -- just add end caps or crimp beads to the end to finish the piece, and it will have all the simplicity of a stretchy bracelet with all the durability of a wired bracelet.

- Spacer beads often weigh less than the heavier beads used -- a pattern of pretty spacer beads worked into your design will make the whole thing a touch lighter.

- Another trick for spacing: seed beads! A short sequence of pretty seed beads can contrast or match your color scheme however you like, and can also lighten the weight of the final piece.


3) Twice is nice - double up on wire if it'll fit!

- You can double-thread stringing wire or cord if it will fit through the bead's holes. You can do this with a single piece of wire double the length of your piece -- for a 7.5" final length bracelet, 15" of stringing material will allow you to double up and bolster your designs' durability. Allow for the amount of wire needed for crimping as always, of course.

- If you are working with very large-hole beads, consider using slender braided cord rather than strands. A simple braiding wheel (also called a Kumihimo disk) can make braiding very slim cord simple and elegant, and it will be far more durable than just a doubled strand.


4) Check all connections on a piece to see how they withstand wear.

- It's simple enough to give a gentle tug on either end -- and I do mean gentle -- to see how the links, connectors, and clasps hold up.

- Check all your jump rings and eye pins to make sure loops are flat and closed.

- Don't bend wire or rings on components more than you need to; excessive bending and unbending can weaken the metal and make them more likely to break.


5) Give your customers advice on jewelry care.

If a customer knows the best ways to care for a piece, that customer will be more satisfied, in the end, with your creations. Consider things like this when writing up a 'care instructions' sheet:

- Metal care

What materials are included in your metal pieces, and what sort of care is best for them? If you're working in sterling silver, that's particularly prone to tarnishing, and needs polish more often than gold or other jewelry metals. Tarnish happens. It can be avoided, however. In most hobby stores, there are products made to 'seal' jewelry, including painted and embellished beads and precious-metal-plate components; using those on the metal and delicate beads of a piece can increase their lifespans.

- Care of beads

Every sort of bead has its own best methods for care. Some examples: Pearls need special care, as do soft materials like amber. Paper beads should not be exposed to water. Beads with painted surfaces can be damaged by contact. Glass beads can be scratched in the same way. The color coatings on crystals can rub off very easily if worn frequently.

- In all cases, a jewelry polishing cloth is a nice way to keep things pretty without risking damaging one part to clean another.

- Delicate pieces should be worn with more care. The more often someone intends to wear a piece, the more durable it should be. Daily-wear bracelets should be made with that level of contact with the outside world in mind. While I personally don't use acrylic or plastic beads, those are more durable for daily wear than crystals or glass. Pretty wood beads are a wonderful choice for daily wear, since a bit of weathering only makes them more distinctive.

- More delicate bracelets should be worn on the off-hand's wrist for protection. In other words, if you're right-handed, wear delicate pieces on your left wrist (your off-hand). Your dominant hand will be used more often, and come in contact with more potential problems for your jewelry than your off hand.

- Jewelry should be stored on soft cloth or cotton, or something equally gentle. If it includes painted or dyed beads, it should be kept in a dark place to avoid uneven fading.