How to Use a Jewelry Supply Guide |Wire, Bead & Chain

So you see a jewelry piece online and it’s pretty and you like it. It says that the beads on it are 11mm — but what does that actually mean? This is exactly why I created this jewelry supply size guide for wire, bead, and chain sizing — to take the guesswork out of buying jewelry materials online.

Does 11mm mean a chunky bracelet or a smaller, more dainty one? That’s exactly what this guide helps with. Maybe you’ve been watching tutorials and are finally ready to start making handmade wire-wrapped jewelry — but now you’re stuck wondering which wire gauge to use. I totally get it. Just guessing and hoping for the best often leads to returns, lost money, and frustration.

People can try to make photos super clear to help reduce confusion (and trust me, I do), but it isn’t always foolproof. That’s why I made this jewelry supply size guide — to give you a clear, visual way to understand materials before you buy or use them.

I can remember one of the first times I was choosing jewelry bead sizes online. I was making a Christmas bracelet a few years ago, and I found these really pretty red, green, and white pearls. They were 3mm.

Back then, I had no concept of bead sizes, and the picture made them look small, but not super tiny. So I ordered them.

I was very, very wrong.

These were tiny — like half the size of a pea.

I figured I can’t be the only one with this problem, so I made this guide.

Jewelry materials size guide displayed on a computer screen, tablet, and smartphone against a decorative purple background.

What Is This Jewelry Supply Size Guide For?

This handmade jewelry supply size guide was made with both makers and buyers in mind — meaning people buying handmade jewelry and people buying jewelry supplies to make their own jewelry.

Beads are not the only confusingly sized material. Chain and wire can be confusing too.

And this guide is mainly for buying online. Obviously, if you buy in-store, you can see the size before you buy.

This handmade jewelry supply size guide is also great if you are new to these materials and maybe don’t know the best practices when making jewelry — like how you shouldn’t put a heavy or large pendant on a thin chain, or that thicker wire is less pliable.

All of that information is included on the respective sheet for each material.

This guide is also quite helpful if you are a visual learner like me because you can see (where applicable) the exact size of a material.

Jewelry Material Size Guide - Simply Rustic Jewelry

    

What Is in This Handmade Jewelry Supply Size Guide?

This jewelry supply size guide is simple but incredibly helpful to have.

The first page contains instructions on how to use the guide, which I’ll go over later. It also includes a ruler. If that ruler does not measure exactly one inch, the exact sizes in this guide will not be accurate.

The second page is the bead size chart page. This page consists of circles ranging from 2mm to 15mm. The sizes are grouped into what would generally be considered small, medium, and large beads. This guide is meant to give a visual representation of how large each size is so it takes the guesswork out.

The third page is the wire gauge guide page. This page does not contain exact-size pictures, but rather size comparisons to things in the real world.

For example:

  • 26g wire is comparable to thin sewing thread.

I also explain some common uses for different gauges of wire.

The fourth and final page is the chain page. It includes exact-size visuals made to show you how large each chain size is, ranging from 2mm–10mm.

How To Use This Handmade Jewelry Supply Size Guide

Using this jewelry supply size guide is very simple.

Let’s say you are making a gorgeous handmade bracelet and need to know how large the beads you are using are. Just hold your bead up to each circle. You know a bead is that size when the circle is fully covered by the bead.

What about chain?

For this scenario, let’s say you want to buy chain online. The one you like is 2mm — but how large is that really?

Well, if you look at the chain page of the guide, you will see exactly how large it is and what it is commonly used for, which may help you make your decision.

What about wire?

For this example, let’s say you are looking at the Twilight Petals jewelry set from yours truly. The wire for that bracelet is 20g. If you look at the wire page, you’ll see real-life comparisons to common objects.

For example:

  • 20g wire is about the width of a paperclip wire.

Jewelry Material Size Guide - Simply Rustic Jewelry

Why Are Visual Size Guides Better Than Measurements Alone?

Let’s face it — we all love online shopping. But when it comes to choosing jewelry supplies online, it gets a little tricky.

That’s because sizing is confusing.

One reason is that measurements like gauges and millimeters are not common measurements that most people (especially here in the U.S.) have a clear mental picture of.

Another reason is that with millimeters, the number gets larger as the size gets bigger — but with wire gauges, the opposite happens. As the number gets bigger, the wire gets thinner.

That can get confusing fast, so having a visual reference is extremely helpful.

Another reason this gets confusing is because screens are liars.

Photos are often enlarged so you can see details more clearly. While that helps visibility, it can also unintentionally distort your perception of size.

Part of what makes this jewelry size guide helpful is that I included real-life comparisons. Your brain can process those more easily because it has something concrete to compare to instead of trying to estimate measurements in your head.

Jewelry Material Size Guide - Simply Rustic Jewelry

Things To Do Before Using

Once you buy and download this guide, you need to make sure it prints at 100% scale.

This guide was made to show exact sizes, so if the scale is off, the sizes will be off too.

Once you print it out, you’ll see a one-inch ruler graphic on the front page. That ruler must actually measure one inch.

If it doesn’t, something went wrong and the guide should be reprinted.

Jewelry Material Size Guide - Simply Rustic Jewelry

I Hope You Check Out This Handmade Jewelry Size Guide

If you make handmade jewelry, buy handmade jewelry, or are simply a very visual person, this jewelry size guide is for you.

This guide can save you time, money, and frustration on supplies that just don’t work for your project.

With just one click, you can download it and use it on your next jewelry purchase.

Better yet, you can also check out my jewelry here.

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope this clears some things up.

Bye friends :)