Being able to open and close a jump ring is the foundation to creating beautiful permanent bracelets, necklaces, anklets, hand chains, and rings.
Jump rings are the teeny circular piece that you will use to connect your clients chain and weld the jump ring so it no longer will open. You'll want "Open Jump Rings" meaning they are able to be opened and closed.
Make sure to use the same metal as the chain they select. So for example, if your client chooses a gold filled chain, choose a gold filled jump ring. If they choose a sterling silver chain, choose a sterling silver jump ring. Mixed metal chains have become increasingly popular so for this style chain you can choose whichever looks best depending what link the end of the piece lands on.
My favorite size jump rings are the ones we carry, 3mm and I always prefer to use a thicker jump ring whenever possible. 22 gauge is my favorite thickness if the chain links allow. Most of our chains will work perfectly with the 22 gauge jump ring and those that are daintier, 24gauge is a great alternative. 26 gauge is going to be trickier to work with as they are very thin. I DO NOT recommend starting out with this size jump ring if you're just starting out. I have been doing permanent jewelry since 2022 and opt to not work with chains that are so think that they require a 26g jump ring. Shop Jump Rings
The right tools make all the difference in opening and closing jump rings! I have used tons of different pliers over the years and have found Xuron TweezerNose Pliers to be my favorite! They won’t damage your jump ring and they are very narrow making it easy to grip your tiny jump rings.
To open the jump ring, you’ll take one pair of pliers to grip the outside of the seam (when I refer to a seam, I’m referring to the line when the jump ring is closed). Then take your other pair of pliers to grab the opposite side of the seam. With my right hand I’m going to push forward, and with my left I’m going to pull back all while pushing to the center. This avoids you over opening the jump ring which makes it very hard to get it back in place after its been over stretched.
You want to try to open it as minimally as possible.
To close, you’ll do the opposite. I’m going to push my left hand forward and I’ll pull my right towards me all while pushing towards the center.
If you're more of a visual learner like myself, you can watch my YouTube Tutorial below ...
Shop our Jump Rings perfect for welding permanent jewelry HERE.