What you’ll need:

  • Approx. 32cm 0.6mm square sterling silver wire.
  • Approx. 15cm half round sterling silver wire.
  • Cabochon (this one is 25x18mm).
  • Masking Tape/ Sticky Tape.
  • Round nose pliers (or, anything with a fine tip)
  • Cutting pliers.

Notes: This design in simple but elegant. I call it a prong setting, although there are many ways to make prong settings. I choose to demonstrate this one as it is deceptively easy!

Why I love this pendant design: It uses about half the amount of wire a border wrap uses, it is quick (takes between 15min-1hr to make depending on experience), it is versatile and looks great!

1. Cut your piece of square wire into 2 pieces 10cm each and 2 pieces 6cm each. Take the two shorter pieces and bind them securely together using tape (do this toward one end). Then, bend the top over something (I used the end of a small fork) to form the bail, as show.

2. Secure the bail with about 4 – 5 wraps of half round wire. Do this about 1 – 1.5cm away from the top of the bail. This will leave sufficient room for a necklace to be slid through. Make sure the wraps are tight by flattening with your flat nose pliers.
Note: As you can see in the photo, my pliers are covered with masking tape. I always do this as it stops the pliers marking the wire.

3. Take your two longer pieces of wire and align them on either side of your piece (as shown). Secure with tape toward the bottom of the piece. It helps if you bend the top of the 2 pieces of wire out where they meet the half round wrap. This way you can align the 4 pieces of wire properly.

4. Now using half round wire secure the 4 wires together. Do this from the point just below the original wrap finishes. The wraps should go for about 1cm (10 wraps)

5. So far, your pendant should look like this:

6. Cut the two middle wires at the bottom. Leave about 3mm after the final wrap. Bend them over the half round wrap and press them down with your flat nose pliers. This area (with the visible cut wires) will be the side that will face the stone.

7. Place it against the flat side of your cabochon. Bend the 4 wires over the stone to hold it in place. The picture below shows just one wire bent.

8. The picture below shows all 4 wires bent over to secure the stone.

9. I have decided to make my prongs quite small. So I have cute the wires leaving about 1cm to hold the stone. If you would like something more elaborate (like the hematite pendant at the bottom of the page) then leave the wire long and curl it.
Then, curl your wires to give the pendant a decorative touch.

10. The finished pendant

11. The back of the pendant.

12. A more elaborate version using a hematite cab.

13. A side on view.