DIY | Pearl Cluster Earrings

Pearl Cluster Earrings

In this blog post, we explore a simple and inexpensive way to make beautiful and exclusive pearl earrings with a selection of pearls gathered into a pendant that looks like a bunch of grapes.  For this purpose, we use a double-pin eyepin, which is specially manufactured by and sold at Smyks. To illustrate the technique, we have chosen amethyst beads, but many people also choose white, half-drilled shell pearls or even genuine pearls for their jewellery. All materials are also available in a silver version if you prefer this to gold-plated.

Please note: For all examples shown here you need:
Jewellery glue (Loctite Gel) as well as
chain-nose pliers, cutting pliers and round-nose pliers to form the wire.
Here you find our guide on how to form a loop.

For 1 pair (2pcs.), you need the following components:
16 amethyst beads, half-drilled, 5mm (12640-an-5mm)
6 amethyst beads, 4mm (12640-4mm)
2 amethyst beads, faceted, 3mm (12640b-3mm)
8 double-pin eyepins, gold-plated sterling silver (4529Bfg-0.8mm)
2 headpins with 1.5mm pad, gold-plated sterling silver (4260fgss-1.5mm)
1 pair of earwires with loop and spiral, gold-plated sterlin silver
 

First, you take 2 half-drilled amethyst beads (5mm) and 1 double-pin eyepin.

Cut a little bit of the length of the two pin ends so the beads are close to the eyelet in the centre.

Apply a bit of glue to both ends and carefully glue both beads on.

Assemble all in all 4 double-pin eyelpins with 2 amethyst beads each. 

Then, you pull a 4mm amethyst bead on a headpin ...

.... and after that a double amethyst...

... another double amethyst ...

... followed by a single 4mm amethyst.

Then comes the 3rd double amethyst ...

... and the 4th double amethyst.

After that, you add 1 amethyst with a diameter of 4mm and 1 amethyst with a diameter of 3mm.

Finish your pendant with a loop and windings. 
You can create a wide range of beautiful designs by varying the size of the beads and the order in which you arrange them on the headpin. Below, we show you further examples and list the materials used for each of them.

Earstuds with Crescent and Pearl Cluster Pendant

For these asymmetrical pearl earrings, you glue pearls in different sizes to a double-pin eyepin. The black lines in the illustration symbolise the double-pin eyepins. In the grey circles, we indicate the bead diameter. 

For 1 pair (2 pcs.), you need the following components:
1 pair of shell pearls, drilled through, diameter 2.5mm
1 pair of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 3mm
3 pairs of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 4mm
2 pairs of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 5mm
4 pairs of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 6.5mm
10 pcs. (3 bags) double-pin eyepins, gold-plated sterling silver
2 pcs. (1 bag) eyepins or wire (0.5mm), gold-plated silver
2 pcs. (1 bag) headpins 30x0.4mm with pad
1 pair of earstuds with crescent moon, gold-plated silver
1 pair of  uneven links with 2 holes. gold-plated sterling silver
2 pcs. freshwater pearls, approx. 5x3mm

Earstuds with Ball and Pearl Cluster Pendant

Til dette vedhæng er der indsat gennemborede shell-pearls i toppen og i midten af vedhænget, og endelig er der limet en almindelig stiftøsken på en anboret perle, så den kan hænge i bunden.

For 1 pair (2pcs.), you need the following components:
1 pair of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 3mm
2 pairs of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 4mm
1 pair of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 5mm
2 pairs of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 6mm
3 pairs of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 8mm
8 stk (2 poser) double-pin eyepins, gold-plated sterling silver
1 pair of shell pearls, drilled through, diameter 4mm
1 pair of shell pearls, drilled through, diameter 2mm
1 pair of earstuds with 3mm ball and transverse eyelet
2 pcs. (1 bag) bails with cup and peg
2 pcs. (1 bag) eyepins

Earstuds with Pearl and Pearl Cluster

For 1 pair (2pcs.), you need the following components:
2 pairs of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 3mm
2 pairs of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 4mm
2 pairs of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 5mm
1 pair of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 6mm
1 pair of shell pearls, half-drilled, diameter 6.5mm
6 stk (2 poser) double-pin eyepins, gold-plated sterling silver
1 pair of earstuds with peg, cup and closed eyelet
2 pcs. (1 bag) bails with cup and peg
2 pcs. (1 bag) eyepins