Byzantine Chain

Enjoy making this beautiful chain, to wear or gift, by following our simple step by step written instructions or by watching our video tutorial.

Step 1

Close two 5mm jump rings by gripping one side of the jump ring with chain nose pliers and the other with snipe nose pliers. Gently twist the pliers in opposite directions moving each end into the centre to close the jump ring.

The average bracelet length is 7.5 inches. When adding in spacers think about if you want them evenly spaced throughout the bracelet and work out how long each section of the Byzantine chain needs to be.

Step 2

Open the remaining jump rings, by gripping one side of the jump ring with chain nose pliers and the other with snipe nose pliers, and gently twisting the pliers in opposite directions to open the jump ring.

Step 3

Take an open jump ring, thread it through the two closed jump rings and close it. Repeat this until you have a chain three jump rings long, containing a pair of jump rings in each section.

To get started on the chain, initially thread a piece of wire through two of the jump rings and twist the wire. Starting off the chain can be fiddly and using the wire in this way keeps the first two jump rings separate from the rest and act as something to hold on to.

Step 4

‘Fold’ back the two vertical jump rings furthest from the wired end. Like a butterfly opening its wings, one jump ring should go either side.

Step 5

Widen the two horizontal jump rings creating a gap and exposing the two ‘folded back’ jump rings.

Step 6

Take an open jump ring, hook it through the two exposed jump rings and close the jump ring. Repeat this, adding another jump ring.

Step 7

Continue adding to the pattern by adding and closing two more pairs of jump rings and following the steps above of ‘butterflying’ back the first pair of jump rings, opening up the horizontal pair of jump rings and looping in another two pairs of jump rings.

Step 8

After creating a length of patterned chain, add a spacer by hooking the spacer on to two open jump rings and closing them. Continue making the chain.

Step 9

Finish your bracelet by adding a lobster clasp on one end. Open a jump ring and hook it onto the two last jump rings and through the lobster clasp.

Step 10

Add your last spacer onto the other end of the bracelet and check the lobster clasp will hook onto it.

We hope you enjoyed making your Byzantine Chain. If you have any questions or want to know more, get in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We’d also love to see what you’ve been making so please share pictures of your creations with us too, tagging Cooksongold.

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