Play around with jump rings! These are quick assembly and soldering pieces that are perfect for beginners.

Jump rings are a staple in every jewellery studio. Primarily used to attach a clasp to a chain or a drop to an ear wire, jump rings are the go-to finding when connecting two items together. Don’t limit yourself to certain techniques when it comes to jump rings. Sometimes just playing in a jewellery studio can open your eyes to new uses and ideas. Here are a few different ways to create new jewellery pieces using these fun little findings.

1. Make Simple Chainmaille

These are jump rings inter-connected using a simple 2-to-1 pattern. The rings used are 6x4mm, 18ga oval jump rings, with phases of the moon festoon link and a 13x20mm, 20ga long hook wire.

2. Solder Jump Rings Into Circle Patterns

This jump ring design is trickier because you need a specific length for the ring band in order for it to fit the specific size. Lay the jump rings out, measure the length add and remove as needed until the length is spot on. To complete the piece use 4, 6 & 8mm jump rings with a medium solder on the joins. Shape around a mandrel using a rawhide hammer. Then put it in the tumbler for a couple of hours.

3. Create Concentric Circles

Take random sized rings and lay them in different positions until you have a chosen design. Solder the joints, run it through the rolling mill to flatten it, hammer some of the rings and leave the other ones as is. Use nylon pliers to lift up the inner jump rings on the outer groups. The jump rings used in the picture were: 4, 6, 9, 12 & 16mm.

4. Add Rings to Alter Blanks or Charms

Solder rings on each side of the piece then attach footage chain (or make a chain out of jump rings!) and add a clasp to create a nice bracelet or necklace out of it. Adding connection points is an easy way to repurpose blanks or charms as links or chandeliers.

5. Jump Rings as a Basket Setting Short-cut

To create this ring, the custom basket setting in the center was made from two 8mm jump rings. After the basket setting was soldered together, one 6-prong setting head was soldered onto either side of it. Lastly, the group of settings was soldered onto a finger ring band then the band was textured and completed with a spin in the tumbler before the stones were set. Jump rings are a big time saver when making custom prong settings.

These are just a few random pieces that you can create. Play around, it’s always fun to try new things whether they are successful or not.