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The Jewellery Guide > Jewellery Information > Wire Gauge Conversion Chart

Wire Gauge Conversion Chart

There are two main systems used to measure wire jewellery.

The USA and some other countries use AWG (American wire gauge). This system is also called the Brown & Sharpe wire gauge.

The metric system (SWG) is used by the rest of world.

The seller may not always be able to tell you if the gauge is in AWG or SWG. However if you are buying precious metals, then it is more likely than not that it is in AWG.

Choosing Jewellery-making Wire Gauge

Thick jewellery wire: Heavy-duty jewellery wire is excellent for large shapes, bracelet bases, big clasps, and hefty rings. Typical thick jewellery wire is 14-gauge or 16-gauge and is great for supporting heavy jewellery pieces. Thicker jewellery wire is also available and is the perfect choice for artistic or outlandish projects. Thick jewellery wire offers a dramatic look with a heavy-metal aesthetic. You will need strong jewellery-making tools when working with thick wire gauges.

Medium jewellery wire: Medium-gauge jewellery wire is very versatile and can be used for many projects. Thicker wire, such as 18-gauge and 20-guage wire, is strong enough for average-sized jump rings, clasps and pins. Large bead holes and stone settings are easily crafted using 22-gauge wire. Medium-gauge wire is easy to use and can be found in many colors. Use medium-gauge wire for dramatic sculpted pendants and chandelier earrings that make a statement.

Thin jewellery wire: Thin jewellery is delicate and perfect for decorative pieces. When creating beaded wire pieces, use 24-gauge wire, which is likely to fit most beads used in wire wrapping. A thin wire, such as 26-gauge, is perfect for making small detailed pieces like chain loops and small wire-wrapped beads. Fine wire, such as 28-guage and 30-guage, is required for very delicate jewellery projects, such as wire weaving or tiny chains and beadwork. Use thin jewellery wire to make woven rings, twisted bracelets and gorgeous delicate pendants.

Higher Gauge Number = Thinner Wire

Remember this if using wire gauge is new to you the thinner the wire the higher the gauge number. For instance, you are buying wire from a seller who tells you that the gauge is 20ga. From the table below, you can see that 20awg = 0.813mm, but 20swg = 0.914mm which is not the same at all.

	AWG		SWG
Gauge Size	Ø in inches	Ø in mm	Ø in inches	Ø in mm
0	0.325	8.252	0.324	8.229
1	0.289	7.348	0.3	7.619
2	0.258	6.543	0.276	7.01
3	0.229	5.827	0.252	6.40
4	0.204	5.189	0.232	5.892
5	0.182	4.621	0.212	5.384
6	0.162	4.115	0.192	4.876
7	0.144	3.665	0.176	4.470
8	0.129	3.264	0.16	4.064
9	0.114	2.906	0.144	3.657
10	0.102	2.588	0.128	3.251
11	0.091	2.304	0.116	2.946
12	0.0801	2.052	0.104	2.641
13	0.072	1.829	0.092	2.336
14	0.064	1.628	0.080	2.032
15	0.057	1.450	0.072	1.829
16	0.051	1.291	0.064	1.625
17	0.045	1.15	0.056	1.422
18	0.040	1.024	0.048	1.219
19	0.036	0.912	0.040	1.016
20	0.032	0.813	0.036	0.914
21	0.029	0.724	0.032	0.812
22	0.025	0.643	0.028	0.711
23	0.023	0.574	0.024	0.609
24	0.020	0.511	0.022	0.558
25	0.018	0.455	0.020	0.508
26	0.016	0.404	0.018	0.457
27	0.014	0.361	0.016	0.416
28	0.013	0.320	0.015	0.375
29	0.011	0.287	0.014	0.345
30	0.010	0.254	0.012	0.315

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