How It's Made

When we say we make our jewelry by hand, we mean it. This is the primary detail that makes our creations unique. Most of the jewelry you will encounter is made by machines in places like China or Thailand. Many of the remaining artists in the United States have resorted to using computers to draw and cut their designs in wax, or they send their designs overseas to be made in sweatshops. It is why there are countless shops on Etsy selling the same “handmade” and “one of a kind” pendant.

These pieces are easy to spot: you have seen them at vendors’ booths in fairs of all kinds. They are all of even depth, lifeless and look so similar, you would think they were made by the same person. The manufactures clank out piece after identical piece and you end up with the same “elven ring” as the countless other strangers.

We are one of the very few artisans that still handmake our own work. We believe that the more educated a customer is about the composition, construction, and meaning of their jewelry the more likely they are to enjoy it. That is why, along with a description of the jewelry, we also tell you the processes used to make your new heirloom. We have created the following is lists of descriptions to help you better understand these processes and materials.

Metalworking Techniques

Fabricate

To make from raw materials; to cut, hammer and shape the metal. Many who claim to hand-make jewelry simply finish machine-cast pieces or slap some components together. We actually work the metal into a treasured item.

Forged

This is where an ingot or blank is drawn out using a hammer and anvil. This gives the piece several unique properties. It work hardens the pieces so that it becomes more resistant to scratches and abrasions. In addition, since every blow of the hammer alters the shape of the piece, so each piece will always be unique.

Cast Casting involves pouring molten metal into a mold. We will rarely cast an entire piece. Usually, these methods are used on individual parts of jewelry, where fabrication would not be feasible. We use several casting methods, a few of which are listed below:
Lost Wax	The mainstay of the jewelry industry. A wax form is created by hand, and then set in investment to create a mold that is heated. The wax evaporates, leaving a hollow that is then filled with molten metal. Since we do it by hand, rather than machine, each piece is unique because the mold is completely destroyed in the process.
Garnet Sand	One of the most unique methods, and I know of only two other people who use this technique which uses pulverized garnet as the basis of the mold. The sand is impacted into a form, then an impression of a carving or template is made into the impacted garnet. Once the original is removed molten metal is poured into the hollow.
Cuttlebone	One of the oldest techniques, the bone from a cuttlefish is carved and shaped. Then metal is then poured into the depression. This leaves a beautiful wood like pattern in the final piece. The cuttlefish is not endangered, and the bones are a byproduct of food manufacturing.

Finishes

Polished

This is the reflective finish most people are used to seeing on silver and gold jewelry.

Satin

This is a gently brushed finish that gives the piece that look of stainless steel but brighter. It also makes surface scratches unnoticeable, so it is ideal for heavy use items like rings.

Hammered

As you can tell by the name this finish is created with a hammer and anvil. This is the most durable finish. This process case hardens the piece, making it more resistant to scratches and dents. If by some chance you should bruise a hammered piece of jewelry, the finish makes it virtually undetectable.

It should be noted that most of the “hammered” items on the market these days are done by machine, and very rarely involve an actually hammer as they are usually cast or pressed. You can always detect these pieces by the rounded and consistent dimples. In a true hammered piece, the grooves should be irregular, some elongated, and flow into each other like waves on an ocean. This is why it is one of my favorite finishes, even though it is the most difficult to create since every blow of the hammer changes the shape of the piece.

Metals and Marks

Fine Silver

Silver that is 99.9% pure. It takes a shine but quickly tarnishes as a result of contact with skin oils and airborne sulfur.
It is stamped .999, Fine Silver, or rarely Fine.

Sterling Silver

An alloy of silver and usually copper that is at least 92.5% silver. It will be usually be marked .925 or Sterling.

Mexico produces a sterling with more silver in it that is marked .950. Though it is supposed to have a slightly higher silver content it sometimes contains trace amounts of nickel and is more prone to tarnish, so we never use it. Sterling (the standard .925) is preferred in most instances over fine silver or .950 because it is more durable and resistant to tarnish.

Argentium

A fascinating new form of sterling. It is much more tarnish resistant than standard sterling in that it can take weeks, months, or even years for to tarnish as much as standard sterling tarnishes in a day. When it does, it can be wiped with a soft cloth to clean it, and it is twice as hard as traditional sterling. This alloy is still relatively new. It is very difficult to get many types of stock in Argentium, and it is much more expensive than traditional sterling.

Electrum

An alloy of gold and silver, electrum occurs naturally in various compositions and has been prized for centuries the world over. Since the silver and gold are parted during refinement, few modern people have set their eyes on the warm glow of electrum.

Bronze, Ancient

A true bronze with a beautiful luster like electrum but at a fraction of the cost. Though it will oxidize faster than modern bronze, it is usually not a problem. In fact, few things are as pleasing to the eye as the soft gold contrasting with the rich patina of bronze. Though Ancient Bronze is not usually marked, but may sometimes be stamped Bronze.

Bronze, Modern

A bronze material containing zinc to inhibit oxidization. Though Modern Bronze is not usually marked, but may sometimes be stamped Bronze.

Copper

Copper is the familiar metal coating pennies, that oxidizes to a reddish brown. There are several different copper alloys we use depending on the application, but to be considered copper they must be at least 95% copper.

Gold This is the incorruptible metal sought after by man since time immortal. This metal will have several diffrent marks depending on purity.
24K -	24 Karat Gold is pure gold, it will be stamped Fine Gold or .999 pure gold. It is shiny but very soft and malleable.
22K -	An alloy of at least 91.6% gold, sometimes marked .916
18K -	An alloy of at least 75% gold, sometimes marked .750
14K -	An alloy of at least 58.3% gold.
15K -	An alloy where only half, 50%, is gold.
10K -	An alloy of at least 41.6% gold. This is the lowest Karat mark, anything lower is not pure enough to be sold as gold.

The following are some hallmarks you may have come across, but we do not use:
.900, Standard, or Coin	An alloy of at least 41.6% gold. This is the lowest Karat mark, anything lower is not pure enough to be sold as gold.
German Silver	German silver actually contains no silver at all and is closely related to pewter.