Jewellery Making With Sea Glass: Drilling & Stone Setting Tutorials

Make incredible jewellery using sea glass

Sea glass jewellery is a style that has become really popular in the jewellery making world! One of the benefits of using sea glass is that it costs absolutely nothing, which makes it perfect if you're at the beginning of your metalsmithing journey and keen to practice your stone setting techniques.

On this page, we share with you some inspiring projects that are great for using with sea glass, with recommended techniques and tools which are available to purchase on our website. We show you how to drill sea glass, create a claw setting, how to make a backless bezel set pendant and our most requested tutorial - how to make a sea glass ring.

We hope these projects inspire you! If you have any questions, get in touch with our friendly team, we'd love to help you get started. Don't forget to share your sea glass creations over on social media - we often share our favourites @kernowcraft.

Looking for beginner projects?

Most of these projects are aimed at experienced jewellery makers with soldering knowledge. If you're after beginner-friendly designs, we recommend taking at look at our Sea Glass Projects For Beginners page with a video and lots of inspiring designs, perfect for making quick gifts!

Organising your sea glass

Before starting the design process, it is always helpful to sort your collection of sea glass for different jewellery designs. Some shapes suit certain ways of setting better than others. For example, if you want to bezel set a piece of sea glass it is easier if it has a flat surface and an even height.

How To Drill Sea Glass

This project is great for a jewellery making beginner who wants to push themselves a bit further! Drilling sea glass is a really popular technique and gives you so many possibilities for jewellery designs - from creating pendants to elegant earring drops. Once you have the right set up and tools, the process is fairly easy but it's important to know that drilling sea glass takes some trial and error to get right, so patience is key!

Watch our video tutorial above or for more information and step by step photos of how to drill sea glass, read our advice page with all the tools you need to get started here.

Rotary Tool & Diamond Coated Drill Bit

For this project you will need a rotary tool such as our Dremel Multi Tool, a diamond-coated drill bit and safety goggles. Diamond-coated drill bits are essential for drilling sea glass, pearls and ceramics - they must be used at a slow speed and water must be used as a lubricant. We have a variety of drill bit diameters available to suit your needs - in the necklace design we have used 1mm.

Our top tips for drilling sea glass

Assess safety in your workspace, such as wearing safety goggles and ensuring the electric parts of the rotary tool is away from the water.
Begin drilling the sea glass at an angle as this will stop the drill bit from skidding out of position.
Use light to medium pressure, allowing the diamond coated drill bit to go at its own speed.
Use plenty of lubrication and rinse the sea glass regularly.
Use a pulsing movement.
Keep the drill bit and sea glass cool throughout the drilling process.
For thick pieces of sea glass, you can drill 3/4 of the way through, flip it over and drill from the other side for a more even hole.
Be patient - if you break some pieces of sea glass or a drill bit, don't panic - assess your technique and try again.

How To Make A Claw Setting For Sea Glass

Claw settings are a great way to create a design for irregularly shaped stones such as sea glass, crystals or cabochons. The process consists of creating a frame where the stone will sit and pushing the claws over it to hold it securely in place.

Follow our step by step tutorial with photos, with a project and tool supplies list so you can easily have a go for yourself.

How To Make A Backless Bezel Setting For Sea Glass

We show you exactly how to create a backless bezel setting for a piece of sea glass. This design is a great metalsmithing project if you want to practice setting irregularly shaped stones. It's also great practice for working with fine silver bezel strip which is a great alternative to using metal sheet - it's thin and flexible making it really easy to rub over the stone to set it in place.

Follow our step by step tutorial with photos, with a project and tool supplies list so you can easily have a go for yourself.

sea glass backless bezel setting tutorial

How To Make A Sea Glass Ring With Bezel Setting

We're so excited to share with you this guest tutorial by jeweller, Sarah Bird from Seastone Jewellery.

Sarah walks you through the step-by-step process of making a sterling silver sea glass ring with a bezel setting, using sterling silver sheet but you could choose to use bezel strip instead to make the process easier. This tutorial covers a whole range of metalsmithing techniques so it's a great one to get stuck into to push yourself to the next level.

Follow the step by step tutorial with photos, with a project and tool supplies list so you can easily have a go for yourself.

sea glass ring with bezel setting tutorial

How To Make A Spinning Sea Glass Necklace

In Kim's 12 Months of Metal series (all available to watch for free on our blog), she shows you how you can use a cold connection to create a beautiful spinning pendant using a piece of drilled sea glass.

In this video, you'll see Kim preparing the layers, making a ball, followed by a nail head rivet. She also shows you how to create texture, how to rivet the other side and transform it into a pendant.

Watch more of Kim's cold connection tutorials here

Don't Live Near A Beach? Create The Sea Glass Look At Home

Our Tumbling Machine Kit will enable you to start tumble polishing your own glass, pebbles, rocks, shells or gems to a matt or gloss finish! Tumble polishers (also known as rock tumblers, lapidary tumblers and rotary tumblers) work by 'tumbling' grit particles around in the spinning barrel which repeatedly fall on to the material being polished. The tiny scratches made this way gradually polish the surface.

So it could be as simple as breaking some glass (safely of course!) and tumbling the pieces until they have that matt finish and no sharp edges.

Be inspired by customer sea glass creations

Over on our Facebook page, we asked our customers to share with us their sea glass designs and we were not disappointed! There were so many inspirational pieces. Take a look at our favourites over on our blog and discover new jewellers to inspire you.

Watch our video tutorial on how to create simple jewellery with sea glass

Also in this section:

HAVE A QUESTION?

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with our friendly team who will be more than happy to give you advice over email or on the phone.

You can learn more and find inspiration by visiting our Jewellery Making Tutorials, Jewellery Making Kits and YouTube Channel. Don't forget to follow us on social media and tag us in your designs on Instagram & Facebook, we would love to see!

The products used in these projects are suggestions to inspire you. Products used were compatible at the time of making but do be aware that stocks can vary, so do use your own judgement as to the compatibility of each item when making.

What Our Customers Say...

Claire

I just wanted to say a big thank you for the beautiful sapphires that arrived today. Hannah picked out just what I wanted and I’m over the moon with them.

Kim Thomson

I have been using Kernowcraft since 1997 and still regularly recommend them to all my students.

Janice Scragg

Your website is easy to use, your products excellent, nice friendly service on the phone and delivery quick, excellent. Thank you and well done Kernowcraft. Gold star!

Julia Schofield

I’ve used Kernowcraft as a supplier for findings and pearls since beginning my business 8 years ago, because I know I can absolutely rely on the quality I get. The service is pretty impeccable too.

Catriona

Thank you for my recent order as I'm blown away by all the lovely pieces. I don't really know what to start work on first. Thank you for supplying top quality items on a easy to use website.

Eve

The stones are excellent quality, and the special request I put in for dark citrines and paired malachites has been met perfectly. I am delighted with Kernowcraft, and will be back!

Deborah Roberts-Barter

I have sent a couple of email enquiries today, which have been really quickly answered. This customer service is what made me order with you straight away!

Lauren Jodie Piercy

Beautiful gemstones and a lot of choice. Running competitions and being interactive as well really sets them apart. Keep up the interesting content.

Lydia Farrow

Just to say that I have always had the best possible results for every order - however small and all your products are of excellent quality.

George Inglis

Great looking website, one of the best I've seen and used. Good search function, good range of products, good prices and great advice for jewellery makers of all abilities. All-in-all a great site and one I'll use again and again.

Joel Martin

Great, easy to navigate website with wonderful clear photographs. I look forward to receiving my order... it's going to be like Christmas!

Helen

Just wanted to say thank you for picking such beautiful stones for my order. I'm halfway through making a ring for my daughter and the rose cut rainbow moonstones are particularly yummy. Thank you!

Claire Hall

Kernowcraft is my go to for all my gemstones! Their stones are the first ones I show when offering my clients stone choices and I can't recommend their customer service enough! This is a company that cares!

Vivienne Sadler

Always too many temptations, but a joy to look through. Thank you for such good service. I have to be very strict with myself when I visit your website!

April Luescher

Beautiful quality and colours - I rarely buy semi-precious stones anywhere else these days. Very helpful, superb service, speedy delivery. What more could anyone want?

Jaquie

It can be difficult to order gemstones online - no such worries with Kernowcraft - you really do care about your products & clients and it shows.

Jenny Kirkwood

Love the service you get and appreciate the range of products on offer. I just used the alligator tape for the first time and found myself asking - where have you been all my life?

Frank Wilson

It is always a joy to deal with your Company and your hints and tips always help me to improve my skills and encourage my interests. Thank you for caring about us small enthusiastic silversmiths!

Sarah Tiley

Whenever I feel unsure as to where to purchase any stones or jewellery requirements I always go back to what is familiar. Thank you Kernowcraft for being true to your customers.

Catherine Warwick

Just received my order that I placed only yesterday. I wanted to say thank you! I am delighted with the choice of cabochon, setting and books. Now I have to read up on how to set it! FABULOUS SERVICE - Thank you!

Maggi Henman

I’ve just had my first order from you and I am so pleased with the fast delivery and the quality of the products. The satin cords and the findings really finished off my ceramic jewellery.

Jill Hammersely

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to the team, particularly the ladies that helped me yesterday. Delivery took less than 24hrs, that's amazing. The quality of both cabochons and settings are stunning.

Lenna

Hi, just a quick email to thank you for my cross and chain - I love it. What a speedy service - ordered it yesterday and wearing it tonight. Thank you very much.

Dorota Todd

I just wanted to say how impressed I am with the quality of pearls in my recent order! Thank you so much for taking time and matching them into pairs, it's very appreciated. Thank you and I am definitely going to buy at your store in the future.

Marshal

Thank you to the lady who went to a great deal of trouble to find a very small opal that fitted a bezel cup. The work is now complete and looks very nice - my wife is delighted with the result.

Lynn Carson

I bought the sand dollar charm to make a holiday bracelet. It’s really lovely, subtle and pretty detail. Perfect piece and exactly as described.

I added a special request for moonstones with strong blue/green flashes and received 3 briolettes which were exactly that - some of the prettiest moonstones I’ve seen. Thank you!

Daniel Coe

The customer service I have received from you and the help has been second to none. If only all companies were so helpful and understanding that i am a complete newbie. The retail world would be a better place.

Frank Wilson

I have grown as a jewellery maker over the last year or so due to the encouragement the team have given me - they are all experienced jewellery makers or keen crafters. They have helped to guide me through my inventory, offered helpful tips and advice on all manner of silver working.

Rhiannon Piper

The opal I received is absolutely amazing and just perfect. Its such a beautiful stone and I tried it with my wedding dress yesterday and its just set it off so well.

Christine Wood

Just want to say a very big thank you for your quick delivery and excellent service. The stones I ordered arrived this morning, the quality and price are second to none. I was delighted with my purchase. Thank you so much.

Mihaela Ciubotaru

I am very happy with my products... it is wonderful to have a reliable source of materials and gems with a fast delivery and a lot of tips on how to use the tools we buy.

Helen Bowles

I felt compelled to write to you, as I'm so impressed with your quick service! I've been a Kernowcraft customer for years and have never had anything but reliable, efficient service from you.

Hayley Meredith

I just wanted to say thank you for the amazing service from Kernowcraft. I find your website easy to navigate, products good quality and the delivery is second to none!

Gloria Williams

I just came across your online shop and my first reaction was wow! It has everything i need to carry on with my jewellery making. I've seen things that i have been looking for and couldn't find in so many other shops!

Denise Mountain Pike

I recently ordered a couple of replacement stones from you and I'd just like to say how happy I am with my purchase and very impressed with the friendly helpful service you gave. Thank you very much.