From Raw Copper Wire to Wearable Art: Inside My Spiral Earring Process
Every finished piece of jewelry begins somewhere.
For my Arial Spiral Tassel Earrings, that beginning is a length of raw copper wire.
What looks effortless when worn takes intention, heat, pressure, patience, and a practiced hand.
Here’s what that process looks like inside my studio.
Forming the Spiral
Each spiral component begins as straight copper wire. I shape it gradually, guiding it around a form by hand. The curve is not rushed — tension and proportion matter.
These spirals are not machine-cut findings ordered in bulk.
They are formed one at a time.
Subtle variations are part of what makes them alive.
Annealing: Working With Fire
Copper hardens as it’s worked. To continue shaping it without breaking or stressing the metal, it must be annealed.
I heat the copper until it reaches a specific color — a visual cue that tells me the structure of the metal has softened again.
That moment matters.
Too little heat and the metal resists.
Too much and you risk damaging the integrity of the piece.
This is not guesswork. It’s experience.
Hammering for Strength & Texture
Once shaped, each spiral is hammered by hand on a steel bench block.
The hammering serves two purposes:
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It strengthens the metal
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It adds subtle surface texture that catches light beautifully
The sound of hammer to copper is rhythmic — almost meditative.
Tumbling & Finishing
The components are placed in a rotary tumbler with stainless steel shot and a small amount of soap.
Over time, the tumbling process burnishes the surface, adding polish and strength while smoothing edges.
There is a moment during this step when the bubbles clear and the metal underneath becomes visible — bright, warm, transformed.
It’s one of my favorite parts.
Full Transformation
If you’d like to see the full transformation from raw copper wire to finished spiral components, you can watch the process in the video below.
How Spiral Copper Earring Components Are Made
The process of transforming copper wire into spiral earring components involves several steps:
- Measuring and cutting the copper wire to the desired length.
- Forming the initial coil around a spindle to create consistent circular shapes.
- Annealing the wire using heat to soften the metal for shaping.
- Reforming and shaping the spiral with hand tools.
- Hammering the metal to strengthen the structure and add texture.
- Tumbling the components with steel shot to smooth and polish the surface.
- Pairing the finished spirals with hand-cut suede tassels to create the final earrings.
Where Leather Meets Lineage
These finished copper spirals are then paired with hand-cut suede tassels — cut, shaped, and assembled in my New England studio.
The combination of metal and leather is intentional.
The spindle I use to form these spirals is part of my mother’s old dining room chair — a quiet reminder that craftsmanship is often inherited, even if the medium changes.
That connection matters to me.
Each pair of Arial Spiral Tassel Earrings carries that history forward.
The Finished Design
From raw copper wire to sculptural spiral components to finished tassel earrings — every stage is done by hand.
No mass production.
No outsourcing.
No shortcuts.
Just time, tools, and years of refinement.
If you'd like to learn more about my work and studio practice, you can visit my Meet the Maker page.
🦋 View the finished Arial Spiral Tassel Earrings here: https://lisacantalupo.com/products/arial-lux-suede-leather-tassel-double-spiral-earrings
— Lisa Maria Cantalupo
Handcrafted in New England since 2006
Where leather meets lineage.
