Titanium and Sterling Silver Earrings

You can use any combination of mixed metals with these earrings including solid colored titanium or niobium.  The Spectrum™ titanium or niobium lets the pieces vary in colors and will give your piece a unique quality.
Titanium "grows up" when used with silver. 

Materials needed:

  • 12 " 18 gauge Spectrum anodized titanium or niobium
  • 8 " 22 gauge dead soft square sterling silver
  • 5 " 20 gauge round dead soft sterling silver

Tools needed:

  • Flush Cutters
  • Side Cutters
  • Round Nose Pliers
  • Chain Nose Pliers
  • Mandrel with 2 1/2" diameter (jar lid or medicine bottle might work, I use a Crystal Light container)
  • 3/8" dowel
  • File

 

 Twist your 8" piece of sterling silver.  You can use a pin vise or a wire twister.

 

 

 Cut your titanium. Use your side cutters, not your good cutters for titanium as it can damage your find jewelry tools. For each earring you will need:
  • 1 - 3"
  • 1 - 2"
  • 1 - 1"

 

 

 Cut your sterling silver into 2 pieces for each earring.  Use your flush cutters.  For each earring you will need:
  • 1 - 2.5"
  • 1 - 1.5"

 

 Shape each piece on a small round object that measures approximately 2.5".  A jar lid or medicine bottle might work for this.
Using your round nosed pliers, put a P-shaped loop in the end of each piece of wire you have cut for your earrings.  Each earring will have 3 pieces of titanium and the 2 pieces of sterling silver as follows:
  • 1 - 3" titanium
  • 1 - 2.5" silver
  • 1 - 2" titanium
  • 1 - 1.5" silver
  • 1 - 1" titanium

 

 Cut your 5" piece of 20 gauge round wire in half.  Each 2.5" piece will make one earwire.  Your loop in the earwire will need a straight bottom so your pieces of silver and titanium will line up correctly when you add them.

Measure 1/2" from the end of your wire and make a 90 degree turn using your chain nosed pliers.

Using your round nosed come in 1/4" from the tip of the wire and bring the end of the wire toward the 90 degree turn, but leave a space to slip your titanium and silver pieces onto the loop.

Using a 3/4" dowel, keep the flat portion of the loop perpendicular, bring the wire around and straight down. 

 

 The pieces will be put on the earwire with the titanium pieces facing one direction and the silver pieces facing the other in the following order:
  • 3" titanium
  • 2.5" silver
  • 2 titanium
  • 1.5" silver
  • 1" titanium

Note:  The other earring will be made in the mirror image with the titanium and silver facing opposite to the direction they face in the first pair so your earrings will by symmetrical.

 

 Use a fine nail file to smooth any ends that have burrs. 

 
This is your finished piece.  You can see that each of the titanium pieces is a different color, which gives the piece depth and that one-of-a-kind touch.

 

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