SilverStones

There are different types of silver jewelry available on the market today. Shown left is our leopard sterling silver pendant that has a hidden bail. The type of silver jewelry we sell at SilverStones is .925 sterling silver, that is 92.5% silver. We also sell Argentium silver that is at least 93% silver and fine silver jewelry, that is 99% silver.

Other types of silver jewelry you will find are silver-filled. This type of silver comes in findings, chains and bars that are used to make thin cuff bracelets. Silver-filled, like gold-filled, consists of sterling silver or fine silver that is bonded onto a red brass alloy. Silver-filled is made in two qualities, 1/20 and 1/10 silver which means it is 5% silver in weight or 10% silver in weight. The 1/10 silver-filled has a thicker layer of silver. Silver-filled is more valuable than silver-plated. Silver-filled actually has a layer of silver.

Silver-plated jewelry has a microscopic film of silver over brass. You will find a lot of silver-plated jewelry on the market. Silver-plated jewelry is abbreviated SP. You may see SP in the description of jewelry sold on the Internet. This is the type of silver used in fashion jewelry.

There is a new product on the market called Glinter.  Shown left is an example of Glinter.  Glinter is a white metal alloy composed of copper, zinc and a little bit of silver. The wholesale cost is $1.00 per bead vs. $4.00 per bead if it was sterling silver. We do not use this type of silver in the jewelry we sell.  You will find this type of silver and silver-plated components used in fashion jewelry available in stores, on web sites and at arts and crafts events. If you are buying handcrafted jewelry from a vendor at an arts and crafts event, look them straight in the eye and ask them if it is sterling silver they used to make the item. If they look away when they reply it means they are not telling you the truth.

I personally care if an item is sterling silver or not. If I were to buy some jewelry, I would want to know what type of silver that was used in making the jewelry because I don’t want to be ripped off.  Now my question to you is:  do you care if it is real sterling silver?

How are stones made to fit in jewelry? This piece on the left is a black onyx and mother of pearl (MOP) sterling silver slide pendant. This pendant has a stone inlay that was cut to fit this slide pendant. In natural stone jewelry stones are either cut to fit the piece or the stone has been reconstituted which means the stone has been ground to a powder then mixed with resin and pressed into the piece of jewelry. This is still considered a natural stone.

This cross pendant is an example of jewelry that has reconstituted stones. Hard to tell the difference isn’t it?

This natural turquoise stone ring, shown below, has a cabochon stone. Cabochon stones have been ground into a shape, polished, and have a flat back. This type of stone is either glued into the jewelry setting or depending on the type of setting may have the silver pressed around the stone to hold it in place. Semi-precious stones can be cut or reconstituted; translucent stones like amethyst, topaz, and citrine are usually cut into faceted shapes to catch the light to make them sparkle.

Beads used in making jewelry are tumbled and then drilled. When buying a strand of stones examine them closely, not all stones are real in other words they could be simulated (fake). Natural stones are always cool to the touch.

All women love pearl jewelry, it is a must have for any woman, a staple accessory. Shown left is our freshwater pearl festoon necklace in sterling silver. This simple but elegant pearl necklace is perfect for the office or a night out on the town.

There are two types of pearls, freshwater pearls and natural pearls. Freshwater pearls are a type of pearl from freshwater mussels that are commercially farmed. Today China is the only commercial producer of freshwater pearls. These pearls are grown by grafting. A suitable donor mussel is selected and a strip of tissue is cut from the mantel. This tissue is cut into 3-millimeter squares, then placed by a technician on the upper valve of the mussel and flipped over and more tissue is placed on the opposite side. Approximately 24 – 32 pearls are produced from one mussel (vs. 1 or 2 from the natural grown version). Typically a freshwater pearl harvest is bought while the pearls are still in the shell. The pearls are harvested for cleaning and sorting by size and shape. Pearls that have a strong colorization are pre-treated (maeshori) in a warm and cold chemical solution and then bleached. The pearls are then drilled and polished to be used in making jewelry.

Natural pearls are extremely expensive. Only one in approximately 10,000 oysters in the ocean will ever produce a pearl, of which a very small percentage would yield a pearl in the right size, shape, and color. Natural pearls occur when an irritant (shell, bone, scale, or parasite) lodges itself into a pearl producing mollusk such as an oyster, mussel, or abalone. The mollusk forms a nucleus over the foreign object and continues to coat it with layers of nacre over several years. When these mollusks are harvested then by chance a pearl may be found. All pearls on the market today are freshwater pearls that have been bleached and/or dyed. However, you may find natural pearls in vintage jewelry. To be certain the pearl is natural in vintage jewelry it is recommended it has an official gemological x-ray certificate.

Do you have a lot of negativity surrounding you? Black Onyx is a grounding stone that enhances determination to overcome difficult times in ones life. This stone aids in letting go of the past and attachments that no longer are useful to you.

Wear black onyx jewelry to repel the negative energy that surrounds you. This stone is an excellent choice for Entrepreneurs and inventors to ward off negative opinions and people. Keep that win-win attitude; choose black onyx jewelry to guard your positive outlook on life.