Handmade jewelry - behind the scenes (silver and other metals)

Most jewelry is made with some type of metal, be it a clasp, an ear wire, or as part of the design. When I first started making jewelry for fun I used the cheapest parts I could find. Most of it was base metal plated with either gold or silver, or gold or silver color. Base metal is aluminum, copper, tin, or zinc. I practiced over and over. Eventually I sold some of those early pieces on eBay and in a local boutique.

After some time, when I felt that my work was good enough, I started buying sterling silver components. A basic component of jewelry making is wire. Depending on the design, wire can be used to hold jewelry together and/or to decorate a piece of jewelry. Manipulating sterling silver wire into something that looks attractive and well done is one of the most difficult things to master in beading. It requires the right tools and a lot of practice. At least it did for me. One thing I soon discovered about silver wire is that some is much better than others. I once found some sterling silver wire on a web site at a very good price, well below the going rate. I bought a couple of ounces in different gauges. It broke. It didn't hold its shape. It was impossible to work with. So back it went to the seller. It proved the old axiom "if it seems too good to be true it probably is". Once I found a supplier that sold good quality sterling silver wire I stuck with them.

As you can imagine, there are lots of little parts (findings) used in jewelry making: rings, crimp beads, clasps, chains, bead covers, wire covers, head pins - it's a rather endless list. Some of these findings are "heavy duty". I buy heavy duty sterling silver findings when they are available, especially the ones that get wear and tear in a piece of jewelry. It costs a little bit more, but it's worth it. One of my goals is to make jewelry that lasts.

I use mostly Thai Hill Tribe silver, Bali sterling silver, and sterling silver made by American silversmiths for decorative beads and clasps. Thai Hill Tribe silver is almost pure silver, up to 99 percent, thus it is considered fine silver. Sterling silver is 92.5 percent, with the remaining 7.5 percent other metals. Thai Hill Tribe silver pieces are entirely made by hand. The methods of making Thai Hill Tribe silver are passed down from one generation to the next. The manufacturing of silver is very important to the economies of the villages in Northern Thailand. One of the reasons they use almost pure silver is that pure silver is softer, more malleable and easier to work with than sterling. Many Thai Hill Tribe silver designs are inspired by nature, so beautiful designs of flowers, leaves, animals and other aspects of nature are commonly seen. I am particularly fond of Thai Hill Tribe silver and feel that it is very sweet. Because it's fine silver, Thai silver resists tarnishing due to its high silver content. When sterling silver tarnishes it is most likely due to the other metals in the alloy. There is a huge amount of work put into all of these hand made silver pieces. For example, once a design is finished, most pieces are antiqued to make the designs more visible. This involves darkening each piece and then polishing it, usually by hand. Metalsmithing is an art form that I only know a little about and have not had the opportunity to do myself. It requires a high degree of skill and a lot of work.

In addition to silver, I use gold vermeil, which is sterling silver or fine silver with a gold finish, and gold filled findings and wire. Gold filled jewelry is also known as "rolled gold" or "rolled gold plate". A layer of solid gold is heat and pressure bonded to a base metal such as brass. In the US the quality of gold filled is defined by the Federal Trade Commission. If the gold is 12k or higher, the minimum weight of the gold must be 1/20 of the weight of the total item. Gold filled jewelry worn daily will last 5 to 30 years, but may eventually wear through. I have pieces of gold filled jewelry that I've had for many decades and it looks as good as new. With the price of gold these days, gold filled jewelry is certainly a good option.

Just a word about chain. When the price of silver went up, many companies started making chain links thinner. Thinner links are, of course, weaker and more likely to break. I don't use chain made with thin wire. I buy chain that is strong without being bulky. When you buy a necklace on chain you don't want to lose the chain or the jewelry on it. On a thin chain the difference between 26 gauge and 28 gauge is huge when it comes to strength. I refuse to compromise and use weak chain.

A lot of jewelry is sold as "silver". I'm sometimes confused about whether the item is sterling silver, silver plated or just silver colored. In terms of aesthetics, it may never matter. Some silver plated items are of excellent quality and hold up very well. Others look horrible after a few months. As with imitation turquoise, there is nothing wrong with silver plate or silver colored  jewelry, it's just good to know what you're buying. If a seller doesn't say that an item is sterling silver,  and you're not sure, ask. Don't buy silver plate thinking you're getting sterling silver. I don't think these sellers are trying to deceive anyone, they just haven't made a clear description of their jewelry. I find that sometimes I get a feeling of freedom when I'm using base metal beads and findings. They are a fraction of the price of sterling silver so I don't have to worry about money.

I love the beauty of handcrafted sterling silver and fine silver beads, clasps and findings. They are all little treasures, especially now that the price of silver is rising and it's just a matter of time before the price goes higher. Silver enhances the beauty and value of a piece of jewelry and makes it a keepsake. The combination of beautiful gemstones and fine silver or sterling silver is just breathtaking. It's jewelry that you will be proud to give as a gift or to wear yourself.

Michele Doane, Sacred Earth Jewelry, author