Handmade Jewelry - types of silver used

In making jewelry I use sterling or fine silver 99 percent of the time. Once in a blue moon I will use brass or gold fill. The reason I use silver rather than other metals is because it's affordable and beautiful. 

In my jewelry all of the component parts that are not gemstones are made of at least sterling silver. There is one exception, and that is the wire that beads are strung on which is 49 strand stainless steel. I'll write more about this wire in another blog. All of the loops (jump rings) crimp beads, clasps, etc., are made of sterling or fine silver.

I use a lot of Thai Hill Tribe silver in my jewelry. It has a very distinctive look. Much of it reflects nature in the form of flowers, animals and plants. Silver has been handcrafted in Thailand for generations and generations, using hand made tools. Thai silver is typically 97-99 percent silver. The higher silver content makes the silver more malleable and easier to work with. The high silver content also keeps the silver from tarnishing. I have Thai Hill Tribe silver that I've had for years and it has never tarnished. I am constantly amazed at its beauty.

I also use a lot of Bali silver. Bali silver is sterling, 92.5 percent silver. It too has it's own very distinctive look. It is usually very detailed and intricate. Each piece is made one by one by hand and takes a long time to make by silversmiths in Indonesia who have many years of experience. Each little granulation, each little loop has been painstakingly added to the bead or clasp by hand in a special process.

There are several American artisan silversmiths who make beautiful pendants and other sterling pieces that I include in the jewelry I make. Most of it is made by the "lost wax" method, which is a multi-stepped process that has been used in casting metal since about 2500 BC. It allows the silversmith to create pieces with great detail. I buy these pieces from silversmiths whose work I know and admire.

The wire I use in wiring together necklaces and bracelets rosary style, for example, is sterling silver unless otherwise describe. I use good quality wire for maximum performance and durability. I once purchased several ounces of silver wire that was much less expensive than I usually used, only to find that it was brittle and broke easily. Fortunately the seller reluctantly refunded my money. I guess all silver wire is not equal! I have learned that it's worth it to pay a little (or a lot) extra for good components.

A couple of years ago the cost of silver went way up for various market reasons. The current economic situation has caused the prices to drop a bit, but as the economic situation improves we can expect silver prices to go through the roof. This cost unfortunately is passed on to the consumer. If you can afford it, now is a good time to buy good jewelry made with silver while the price is still reasonable.

Note: The cost of silver has gone up and down a few times since the writing of this blog. Currently the cost is considerably higher than it was 5 years ago. Even though the price did reach a 30 year high it didn't stay at that level and has come down to a price that is still affordable for jewelry making. 3/19/2014