How to Create Classic Jewelry Pieces with Gold Beads

Gold beads are a classic addition to any jewelry-making project and can be achieved with any level of jewelry making ability. They add dimension, shine, and a professional look to any piece, no matter if it’s a simple set of gold earrings or a masterpiece statement necklace.

Get Inspired

So, what to make? The conundrum of gold beads is that they’re so ubiquitous to the process of jewelry-making that we can get side-tracked by how simple they are. However, we shouldn’t shrug these lovelies off as filler or as too basic. Instead, we should celebrate the beads and everything they can do. 

Bracelets

A lovely gold bracelet, (or four of them together), can take any outfit to a new level. Beautiful with a tennis outfit or a gorgeous pantsuit, simple bangles on your wrist look elegant and suave when done right. 

Chain and Beads

A gold chain pairs beautifully with solid gold beads for a necklace, bracelet, or anklet. Try your hand at creating a whimsical piece that would look especially lovely in the summer months. 

An Instagram Jewelry Celebrity

The jewelry designer, Wasson, was featured in Vogue and was called an artist to follow, thanks to her beautiful designs. Follow in her footsteps with lovely earrings that play up old favorites like hoop earrings. Her take is simple yet fashionable.

Ready to make something of your own? Here are some great projects for every level of jewelry maker out there ready to spin some gold. 

Projects for Beginners

    • Basic Gold Bracelet
Blouse Designs has a great vlog that walks you through a project in a well-paced, clear manner that makes everyone want to run for their needle-nose pliers. This gold bracelet is very straightforward piece, all that it needs is a gold wire, pliers, and gold beads. It’s a beautiful basic all jewelers should have in their repertoire.
    • Gold and Pearl Choker
Beads Art, a wonderful YouTube channel for any jewelry designer, has a great tutorial on how to make a classic choker. The finished product looks like it came straight from a department store, yet it’s easy enough for you to make right away. You’ll need wire cutters, as well as Tiger Tail wire, your gold beads, and pearl beads of the same size. You’ll also need a clasp to finish the piece.

The instructor will walk you through a looping technique that turns a short pattern of beads into a little diamond. You’ll repeat this over and over until you have a complete strand patterned perfectly.
    • Beaded Earrings with Square Frame

These are a fun twist on classic dangling earrings straight from Instructible. It combines basic shapes with strands of beads and makes for a fun look. It’s a little retro, but in the best way possible. 

Intermediate Projects

After you have the basics down, challenge yourself with some great additional projects. These combine gold and colorful beads, different techniques, and some serious style.
    • Bohemian Hoop Earrings
These bohemian hoop earrings will help you put your plier skills to the test. Make these into a hoop or a teardrop shape, and then add your beads on the wires that cross the center. These combine gold beads with neutrals and bold colors to help bring out the beauty of the gold.
    • Gold Wave Beaded Necklace
This unique beaded necklace is a gorgeous combination of bugle and precise beads that are strung together in an asymmetrical pattern that lets the beads create a unique wave up and down the clavicle. Use this tutorial, a helpful animation that shows how to string on the beads, to check your work and see how it all comes together. You will be blown away by the finished product.
    • Flower Pendant

This beautiful, beaded flower is a stunning play of rondelle and seed beads that can be done with gold beads or any combination of colors that you like. This one is a bit trickier; you need to do some tying and melting as you go. This video is extremely helpful and shows you how to make each petal of the flower and use your tools smartly and easily. 

Advanced Gold Bead Projects

    • Beaded Leaf Bracelet
This leaf bracelet is so beautiful that it’s hard to believe you can make it at home. You’ll need flat-edged miyuki beads to get the flat, leafy shape to lie properly on your wrist. Be ready to invest some time into this one—the pattern is intense—but, after a few leaves, you’ll have the hang of it. The example they show combines gold and black beads, though making this with all gold would also be stunning.
    • Autumn Flower Earrings
Autumn flower earrings are so much fun to make and wear that they’ll quickly become your favorite new piece. Seed beads are woven around a large pearl in the center with additional pearls nestled in the petals. The look is professional and casual at the same time. You can wear these anywhere, give them as gifts, or put them out on your table at your next show. They’re so charming that they’re sure to go fast and earn you tons of compliments.
April 02, 2018 — Arun Yadav
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