Chain Maille Jewellery - An Introduction to Byzantine Chain Maille

Modern chain maille, please take a bow. The Celts are widely credited as the first to use waist chain. The Byzantine weave can be worn both formally and casually; it is simple to create and works well with both dressier and more casual attire.

This weave can be used for a variety of jewellery pieces, including bracelets, necklaces, and even earrings if the ring is made at a smaller size. Unfortunately, you can't just run to the hardware store to pick up some pliers; you'll need jewelry-specific equipment. Our sterling silver jump rings are the best in the business.

At the outset, you'll want to clean and oil your pliers. Remove any burrs that could harm the silver by rubbing the inside of the pliers with fine sandpaper.

Jump ring opening and closing: You can never get the rings back together if you pull them apart. Maintain the pliers' opening at the top of the jump ring. One side should be pushed away from you while the other is pulled towards you. Then, close the space by pushing the two sides together gently. Copper jump rings are included in the set. Put them to use to hone your skills.

1. Open all of the sterling silver rings and form a "tail" with the copper ones. Your jewellery creations will have a copper ring base. Then, you should disconnect all the jump rings.

2. Connect the final copper jump ring with two open silver ones. Afterwards, connect the final two jump rings. And then two more, and two more, until you've amassed eight complete sets of silver rings.

3. Insert the cocktail stick through the last two sets. Until you get your groove with the weave, this is helpful. Discard the cocktail stick and remove the seventh pair by holding them between your thumb and index finger with your nondominant hand. As you try to separate the eighth pair, they will just fall off your fingertips.

4. Wiggle the bottom pair of the sixth set open using the cocktail stick. The next step is to loop two open jump rings across the gap.

5. String together six sets of rings by repeating Step 3. You've done a fantastic job. The first part of the tutorial is now finished by you. Also, you'll notice a trend emerging.

6. After you have reached the desired length, repeat Steps 3 through 5.

7. The final step for either the bracelet or necklace (or both) is the same. Put one of the remaining jump rings through the toggle clasp once you've opened the last pair. This one is a tad bigger. Clasp with a lobster claw

Hanfords of London employs Michael Dennison as their director of jewellery design. Michael has been with the company since the beginning of 2010 and has been hard at work modernising the Handmade Jewellery range and introducing innovative production methods. For the time being, he is focusing a great deal of his energy on expanding and perfecting the company's line of handmade necklaces. The London-based company Hanfords of London has made a name for itself as a specialist in Chain Maille Jewelry by updating this once-outdated technique.