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Silver jewellery makes for a beautiful gift, but add to that the human touch and you have a gift that is very special. Hand made silver jewellery is the perfect gift for that special person or a special occasion.
A simple but stylish handmade silver ring
If you have a special someone in your life and find yourself wondering what to get them for a birthday present, a Christmas present or a gift that has no particular occasion to relate it to, the absolute best present you can get them is some hand made silver jewellery. Jewellery speaks volumes about the intention of the gift (ie to show someone how much you appreciate them or how much you love them) but to go an extra mile, make sure that jewellery is hand crafted. Unique jewellery is a special gift and a delight to wear. Unique jewellery that is hand crafted attracts attention and guaranteed to draw a crowd. It is always nice to get a bit of attention – it gives us a chance to shine for five minutes!
What is the difference between sterling silver and pure silver? Traditionally, silver jewellery is made from sterling silver (7.5 per cent copper and 92.5 per cent silver and it is harder than its cousin pure silver. Silver jewellery is sometimes plated with gold or can be ‘flashed’ with silver. Often sterling silver jewellery is plated with a delicate coating of 0.999 of fine silver, which is what provides that unmistakable shine.
The craftsmen and women who produce jewellery from silver are called silversmiths but on occasion are referred to as goldsmiths. Gold does contain silver to some degree. Gold that is 9 carat and white contains 62.5 percent silver and only 37.5 per cent gold. Traditionally, silversmiths were trained alongside goldsmiths and belonged to a guild. In the case of blacksmiths, metal is crafted while red hot but this isn’t the case with silver. Silversmiths delicately fashion silver at room temperature and work with copper, brass, gold and steel as well.
A valuable and fashionable material, silver is less expensive than gold and a popular one too. It suits a variety of pockets and gives off a clean and shimmery look. A silver ring when it catches the light always sparkles more brightly than a gold ring.
While silversmiths have always been involved in the production of items for the table such as cutlery, candlesticks and bowls, today with the decline in popularity of silverware of this kind, their trade is more commonly applied to the craft of jewellery making.