A reliable method of etching and mounting Wollaston wires is described. The method involves attaching one end of the wire to a specially prepared ceramic tube, dipping the pendant portion of the wire into an etching solution, and then after etching is completed, attaching the loose end of the wire to the ceramic tube, and finally, firing the tube and mounted wire to 1000°F. The thinnest wires handled by this method had diameters of 0.5 &mgr; and lengths of 2 mm.