Photo Tutorial Ceramic Bead Byzantine Chain

Author's Note
Our projects were very popular during the lifetime of our business and we wanted to ensure they continued to provide inspiration for chain maillers whatever their experience. It's a pleasure to see they will live on with Chainmaillers.com
-Sarah Austin

Ceramic Bead Byzantine Chain​

Materials​

For a 18.5cm bracelet, you will need:

• 73 byzantine silver anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 4.2mm, WD 1.2mm - A
• 12 capping silver anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 4.3mm, WD 1.00mm - B
• 60 tiny stainless steel machine cut jump rings, ID 2.1mm, WD 0.64mm - C
• 24 small stainless steel machine cut jump rings, ID 2.7mm, WD 0.64mm - D
• 6 Greek ceramic beads with 3.5mm holes - 10 x 12mm - we used burnt orange, red, mauve and dark turquoise
• silver plated lobster clasp - 12mm
• one headpin and a scrap of thin wire

For a 51cm (20 inch) necklace, you will need:

• 233 byzantine silver anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 4mm, WD 1.2mm - A
• 34 capping silver anodised aluminium saw cut jump rings, ID 4.3mm, WD 1.00mm - B
• 170 tiny stainless steel machine cut jump rings, ID 2.1mm, WD 0.64mm - C
• 68 small stainless steel machine cut jump rings, ID 2.7mm, WD 0.64mm - D
• 17 Greek ceramic beads with 3.5mm holes - 10 x 12mm - we used burnt orange, red, mauve and dark turquoise
• silver plated lobster clasp - 12mm
• one headpin and a scrap of thin wire

Tools:

• two pairs of smooth jawed chain nose, flat nose, or bent nose pliers

Instructions​

1. Make a 2-in-2 chain starting with two byzantine rings A, two small stainless steel rings D and ten tiny stainless steel rings C.
   
   Thread your scrap of wire through the last two tiny rings that you linked.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Close two capping rings B and open two small stainless steel rings D.
   
   Using the scrap of wire to help, thread one closed capping ring B and one ceramic bead over the stainless steel 2-in-2 chain (left hand picture).
   
   Link one small stainless steel ring D through the last two tiny rings through which you have threaded the scrap of wire (centre picture). Remove the scrap of wire.
   
   Repeat with a second small stainless steel ring D (left hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
3. Open ten and close four byzantine rings A.
   
   Place the second closed capping ring B over the bead hole and link one byzantine ring A through the two small stainless steel rings D added in step 2 (left hand picture).
   
   Link using a second ring A (right hand picture).
   
   
   
   
   
4. Use two byzantine rings A to link two more closed rings A to the last two rings A added in step 3 (left hand picture).
   
   Fold back the last pair of rings as shown in the right hand picture.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Place your headpin between the first pair of rings added in step 4 and through the two rings you have just folded back.
   
   The headpin will help you place the two rings added in the next step.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Following the pathway of the headpin, link two byzantine rings A. The pictures show this from two different angles.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Use two byzantine rings A to link two closed rings A to the last two rings A added in step 6 (the left hand and centre pictures show this from two different views).
   
   Fold back the last pair of rings as shown in the right hand picture.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Repeat step 5-6 to hold the folded back rings in place. The pictures show this from two different angles.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Link two small stainless steel rings D to the last two rings A and lengthen with a 2-in-2 chain made from ten tiny stainless steel rings C. This is the same as the chain made in step 1 onto which you will thread your ceramic bead.
   
   
   
   
   
10. Repeat steps 2-9. When your chain is the desired length, finish with step 2.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Place the second closed capping ring B over the bead hole. Link one byzantine ring A through the last two small stainless steel rings D of the 2-in-2 chain and add the lobster clasp before closing.
    
    

Variations​

• Try pastel colours such as those below - light blue, light pink, lilac and light green.
  
  
  
  

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©2021 Sarah Austin. All rights reserved.