After my daughter was born, the first piece of jewelry I made was a chunky Byzantine bracelet. Though I tend to gravitate toward lighter, understated pieces, with bracelets I favor something a little more substantial.

Sadly, after a year and a half, after returning from an emotional trip to California to attend my great-aunt’s funeral and a long day flying back home, the bracelet fell off my wrist.

I was crushed.

Though I could easily remake the bracelet again, it had sentimental value that could not be replaced. Not to mention it wasn’t in my budget at the time to buy the materials to make a new one.

Later in the year, however, after a particularly good month of sales, I decided to reward myself with a new bracelet. It would never replace the original, but I could at least have back the bracelet that brought me so much joy. (Plus my wrist felt naked without it!)

Before I made the new one, however, I was tempted to keep for myself another chunky bracelet I had made. Specifically, this one:

I love the way it feels on my wrist. It feels substantial without weighing down your wrist, and despite its simplicity, it’s super elegant, especially if you jazz it up with a unique clasp.

Me? I like to keep it simple with a basic lobster clasp, and I’m going to show you how you can make your very own spiral chain bracelet so you can finish it however you like and create the perfect piece to adorn your naked wrist.

It has a wonderful weight to it and looks really elegant, but is surprisingly easy to make (especially once you get the hang of making the spirals and connecting them to each other.

Supplies to make your own bracelet

Here are all the jewelry supplies you need to get started.You can vary make this bracelet using whatever metal you prefer — I just happen to prefer sterling silver! For your convenience, these are affiliate links. Click here to read my disclosure policy.

• 2 pairs of flat nose pliers
• large jump rings in multiples of 5
  • I use 18-gauge 7.0 mm inner diameter sterling silver rings
• smaller jump rings
  • I use 4.5 mm inner diameter sterling silver rings. You want enough to have two between each set of larger rings, plus a couple extras
• small jump rings
  • I use 18-gauge 4.5 mm ID sterling silver jump rings
• 1 lobster clasp

How to create your own bracelet

To get started, take the five largest jump rings (7.0 mm) and close one of them (you know it’s closed well when it makes a click sound and the two ends are flush). Take a second one and loop it through the first jump ring and close it tight.

Hold the two jump rings so that they are flat against each other with a small opening between them, kind of like you are making a venn diagram. Take a third jump ring and loop it through that opening where first two jump rings overlap. Now close up that jump ring.

You’re going to do the same thing again, but hold two of the rings together and make a venn diagram with the third ring. Link the fourth large jump ring through this opening and close it up.

One last time. Hold three of the jump rings together and make a venn diagram with the fourth jump ring. Link the fifth and last jump ring through that opening close it up. (Sorry that first picture is a bit fuzzy — it’s hard to photograph your own hands!)

Make a bunch of these spirals — you want them together to just about fit around your wrist — and then connect them with the small (4.5mm) jump rings. Loop the small jump ring through the center of each spiral and then close it securely, making sure that that it doesn’t go through any of the individual rings of the spiral. Repeat this with a second small jump ring so that two small jump rings connect the two spirals like so:

Continue connecting the spirals together until it just smaller than the desired length of your bracelet.

One one end of the bracelet, use one of the small jump rings to attach your lobster clasp.

On the other end attach a single jump ring. I like using a slightly larger one, but you can use one of the small ones. Close up tight and attach it with two other jump rings.

Ta-dah, you’re done! Now time to enjoy wearing your beautiful new bracelet.

 

A version of this post first appeared on A Dish of Daily Life