The wire employed for making American name brooches is a hard, tough brass of a gold colour, coated with gold. Various qualities are used, from a lightly gilded wire costing 5s. per pound to a heavily gold-cased wire costing 5s. per ounce. The higher priced wires were first imported under the name of "American rolled gold" wire, but wire of an equal quality is now sold, as "seamless gold plating wire." The gauges in general use for this purpose are Nos. 20, 21, and 22. round, and half-round for rings; also square and other shapes for bracelets, scarf pins, and ornamental articles. For name brooches, No. 20 is best suited to bold designs with flowing curves, and No. 21 for more compact forms, whilst No. 22 is only used in making names with small letters. But the condition of the wire also assists or retards the workman in working out his design. A hard wire is liable to break if bent sharply, and is also too springy to retain its shape after being bent; whilst a wire that is too soft, although easily bent whilst making a brooch, will as easily bend and crush out the design after being worn a few times. The tools for this class of work consist only of a pair of small round-nosed pliers, a pair of cutting pliers, and a small fine-cut file; these can be bought at any toolshop.

The best designs and patterns for a novice are a few of the lower priced brooches, pins, rings, and bracelets. It is advisable for the beginner to imitate first the simpler designs, such as for an initial scarf pin, in some cheap wire, until a certain proficiency has been attained. Hard-drawn copper wire of No. 20 gauge will be found suitable for this purpose. The stem of the pin may be grooved spirally with one edge of the file, and pointed with the same tool. Twisted pins are made with square wire, held in one pair of pliers and twisted with another pair. "When proficiency has been attained in making scarf pins, a safety pin, or a brooch with a simple, short name, may be attempted. Skill in working the wire can be attained only by first practising on copper or some other cheap material.