Chains Chains Chains: 25 Necklaces, Bracelets & Earrings

Joanna Gollberg and Nathalie Mornu team up to present 25 different jewelry designs from 22 leading designers in a book dedicated to chainmaking.

Chains Chains Chains is a jewelry making book that deals exclusively with creating metal chains. Chains are created from a wide range of materials, from basics like sterling silver and brass wire, to exotic materials like palladium and 18-karat gold wire. Basic bench tools and metal properties, along with metal designing techniques, add to the usefulness of the book.


Project Layouts Accompanied with Color Photos or Diagrams 

Each of the 25 different jewelry designs has a list of the materials and tools needed to start the jewelry project, and what the finished size will be when the piece is completed. Color photos accompany each project, and diagrams are used when templates are needed for cutting or laying-out each design.

Chains Chains Chains Chapters and Contents 

Chains Chains Chains dives right in with the designer's projects at the beginning of the book, and all the basic metal jewelry creating information at the back of the book. For those readers used to having all the basic information at the beginning of a book, a little jumping around the table of contents is necessary. The first section "Chain Gang" has the different how-to jewelry chain projects, and the second section "The Basics" contains all the information needed to complete the tasks. Brief biographies or designers' works are listed in "About the Designers," as well as websites for each for further study.

Introductory metal artists and more advanced jewelers will appreciate the second section. The chapter on metals goes into the properties of precious metals (gold, silver, bimetal, and platinum), alloys (sterling silver, argentium silver, and different golds), and base metals (copper, brass, bronze, and nickel silver). Using this information, it makes it helpful to understand and employ different techniques such as bending, shaping, and cleaning.

Since chains symbolize much more than simply linking two different pieces of metal together, the authors included in the book a gallery of photos of chains in everyday applications and exotic jewelry pieces from different artists. The listing of 52 different songs with the words 'link' or 'chain' in the titles, or bands with the word 'chain' in them gives the book a fun feel.

While this book delves into advanced chainmaking, such as using soldering, dapping and piercing equipment, all the basics of these techniques and more are listed in step by step procedures at the back of the book. The jewelry projects range from a simple soldered teardrop dangly earrings to an advanced riveted link necklace encasing a round marble or bead, making it completely free to move as it is being worn.

Book Information
  • Chains Chains Chains: 25 Necklaces, Bracelets and Earrings; by Joanna Gollberg and Nathalie Mornu 
  • Lark Crafts, an Imprint of Sterling Publishing Co. 
  • ISBN13: 9781600595981 
  • Paperback Flexbound, 144 pages 
Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher and any opinions are my own.

Renee Shelton.

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