To provide a method and apparatus which highly accurately and continuously patterns a long wire material such as one for eyeglass frames by automatic operation with a laser beam.

A cyclical pattern is formed on the long wire material by successively repeating the steps of: straightening a bend of a long wire material 3 with a linear straightening part 11; transferring the wire material by a prescribed amount in the axial direction while holding it with a wire material transferring part 14; holding and fixing the wire material with a wire material fixing part 13 in a position backward from the holding position by the wire material transferring part; patterning by irradiating the surface of the wire material in the middle of both holding positions held by the wire material fixing part and by the wire material transferring part with a laser beam by a laser machining part 15; and releasing the hold of the wire material performed by the wire material fixing part.