Creating Steel Jewelry

Bette Barnett is a recognized authority on steel jewelry, a sought-after teacher and innovator in metalsmithing. In this landmark book, Bette shares her deep experience in a broad range of techniques for creating dramatic steel jewelry.

Bette began her metalsmithing career in 2010, and in 2013 the late Chris Nelson introduced her to steel and gold, engendering her ongoing passion for creating steel jewelry. Bette built on those studies by exploring, testing and perfecting techniques that had never been fully documented, including the ancient art of Keum Boo on steel, fusing alternative metals to steel, fusing powdered metals to steel and working with various non-traditional forms of steel such as perforated sheet and woven steel mesh.

As a leader in metals research, Bette has published articles on steel jewelry techniques in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist and MJSA Journal. She authored a research paper for the prestigious Santa Fe Symposium entitled “Steel Jewelry-Expanding the Horizons of Steel and Gold”, which she presented to the Symposium in 2020. Bette’s focus is on educating all metalsmiths–blacksmiths, bladesmiths and jewelers–encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones and explore the creative potential of steel jewelry.