|
 |
Silver in Jewelry
Sterling
Silver. The popularity of silver in jewelry seems
everlasting, so we thought you might like a little background on
this wonderful metal. Sterling silver is 925 parts out of 1000
pure; the remaining 75 parts are alloys used to add stiffness and
durability as pure silver is quite soft. |
| Do you know where the term sterling comes from?
In 13th century Europe, English coins had decreased in value
because they contained so little silver. The only European
coins that contained large proportions of silver were made in
Northern Germany - East of England - and were referred to as
Easterlings. Over time, the word Easterling was contracted
by the British to become sterling. At Beadworks we
carry a wide assortment of silver beads and findings from around
the world. |
| Thai silver is made by the Hilltribe or Karen people of
Thailand. These nomadic people settled in Northern Thailand
and silver smithing remains one of their main industries. The
silver content of Thai silver is 95% pure, slightly higher than
sterling. Thai silver pieces are handmade using the same tools
as their ancestors did centuries ago, so each piece represents their
ancient culture. Thai silver beads are often less shiny than
sterling, and are likely to be stamped with a tiny animal or plant
motif symbolizing the relationship of the Karen people with the Lord
of Land and Water. Balinese or Bali silver is also
handmade, much of it crafted in Celuk, Bali using a process that has
been handed down over generations. Each bead is cast in two
parts, often decorated with silver ball granulations and silver
wires. These balls and wires are first glued into place, and
then soldered to the piece. Bali silver often has a very
intricate design and reflected tremendous attention to detail.
While true Bali beads are made only in Bali, many Bali-style
beads are imported from India and Turkey. Those imported
from Turkey are generally coated with Rhodium to reduce
tarnishing. Bali beads from India are not coated with
Rhodium so tarnish more easily but also tend to be less costly.
 |
|
|
|
Spring at Beadworks Providence We've just returned from the annual Gem and
Mineral Show in Tucson where we noted trends and purchased some
wonderful new items. Natural materials like shell, wood
and nuts, continue to be popular. Pink, aqua and lime are
still in-style, in both bright and muted tones. Come in to
see our wonderful new assortment of shell in bright pinks and
greens and natural browns. We've also brought back a wide
assortment of turquoise - as popular as ever - in a variety of
shapes and shades of blue and green. Our lampwork table
has a new line of AleAle beads, made exclusively for Beadworks
in the Czech Republic. |
|
|
290 Thayer Street Providence, RI 02906
(401) 861-4540 |
|
Please give us your feedback.
Click
here to let us know your
suggestions for the Beadworks Providence shop or website (criticisms,
comments or compliments). We promise to get back to you on every
email.
|
|
.jpg){kind=logo}
.jpg){kind=small}
