Silver metal beads @ Jewel Info 4 U
By:Binasaji
Silver has been used to create
jewellery since time immemorial. The
Navajos combined silver with
turquoise to make gorgeous jewellery
pieces like the Squash Blossom
necklaces and silver bracelets with
inlay work. These are popular even
today. Silver is cheaper than gold
but is equally attractive; with men
and women, both wearing silver
jewellery.
Available in a range of finishes -
dull, bright, oxidized and a
tantalizing choice of designs,
silver beaded jewellery is versatile
and economical - purchasing several
pieces is affordable and the
ornaments can be funky, traditional
or formal. Silver chunky beaded
jewellery often teamed with darker
colored gemstones like navy blue,
dark green or deep reds are now
sported by men - not just as rings
but also chains, bracelets and
amulets. Dull or tarnished silver
beads complement the tough exteriors
of stylish men and make great gifts
- different from the traditional
clothes and perfumes. Oxidized
silver jewellery can be bought off
the streets at dirt-cheap prices
(although the purity of the metal is
questionable).
Other than silver, gold is the other
precious metal popularly used to
make beaded jewellery. Platinum
being highly priced is also used but
is available at select premium
outlets which cater to an exclusive
clientele.
Silver Facts
Silver shining beads have an allure
that makes jewellery sparkle and
liven up the dullest outfits. Pure
silver is extremely malleable and
lends itself to making very thin
sheets and wires. Silver can be made
into sheets so thin that they are
almost transparent and allow light
to pass through. In fact, over one
hundred thousand such sheets placed
over each other will equal only one
inch! Thin wires finer than a human
hair can be drawn out of pure silver
easily. Although good quality silver
stays bright for a long time
eventually, it starts to blacken as
the pollutants in the atmosphere
react with it.
For jewellery making purposes,
silver is mixed with other metals
especially copper to form an alloy
which gives it strength, the
addition also makes it possible to
craft the silver into desired shapes
and sizes.
Types of Silver beads
While all silver used for crafting
jewellery is not 100% pure, it helps
to know the common terms referred to
while buying silver beaded
jewellery. Silver is marked as per
its purity - pure silver jewellery
will refer to a minimum mix of
copper ranging from 1% to 3% in pure
silver.
Sterling silver beads have at least
7.5% of copper mixed and are
approximately 92.5% pure. Sterling
silver is stronger than pure silver
and it is easier to carve and mold
sterling silver beads. These beads
usually have a dull finish and the
niches are tarnished giving them a
vintage appearance. In some
countries, sterling silver is not
called sterling but is marked .925
indicating the purity of the silver
is 92.5%.
Nickel silver or German silver is so
called only because it resembles
silver beads. These beads have no
silver in them and are actually an
alloy of copper, nickel and zinc.
Handmade silver beads can make heads
turn with their beautiful designs
and carvings. Some of the most
popular handmade silver beads come
from the island nations of Bali and
Thailand . The former is known as
Bali Silver and the latter as Hill
Tribe Silver. These gifted silver
artisans create tiny works of art
with their hands and usually it is
impossible to find two pieces which
are alike. These beads have very
distinct designs - mostly depicting
images from nature (animals, trees,
birds, flowers etc.) and are usually
tarnished or oxidized. Most of these
beads are sterling silver in order
to achieve the traditional effect.
Manual techniques and very few
implements are employed by the
artisans in these island nations to
create interesting designs which
have found acclaim throughout the
world. Silver is melted and then
either made into sheets and wires or
poured into moulds. The wires or
sheets are cut to create various
shapes and sizes of beads. Some
beads are made by poking holes in
the sheets and fusing wires onto it
creating gorgeous filigreed beads.
Designs are sometimes engraved onto
the beads giving it the distinct
appearance of Bali Silver and Hill
Tribe silver. The last part of the
process is oxidization, where the
beads are dipped into various
liquids to highlight the images on
the bead.
Buying & Caring tips
Hollow silver beads are lighter than
the solid ones and care should be
taken while using beaded jewellery
with hollow silver beads as they can
dent easily. Solid silver beads
should be bought from reliable
stores since they could easily be
pewter beads with just a silver
plate on top. Compare prices - solid
silver beads will be more expensive
than silver plated beads and will
weigh lesser than them since pewter
is heavier than silver. .
Always check the purity of the
silver before buying beads - the
price of sterling silver beads will
be cheaper than pure silver although
the amount of effort and time spent
in carving or finishing the bead
will also determine the price.
Handcrafted beads will usually cost
more.
Many manufacturers now machine make
beads and call them Bali Silver and
Hill Tribe Silver since the designs
are the same as the authentic Bali
and Hill Tribe silver beads. Make
sure you check the authenticity of
the origination on the beads before
purchasing handcrafted beaded
jewellery.
Buy your silver jewellery after
deciding the purpose, if you require
it for daily wear, buy beads which
have the least amount of metals
added - the silver should be at
least 98% to 99% pure. Higher purity
will ensure no tarnish for a longer
time although the design of the
beads should be such that it can
tolerate the stress of daily usage.
Over a period of time, silver
tarnishes. Pure silver tarnishes
slowly and silver mixed with other
metals has a quicker rate of
blackening. This is also a test to
check the purity of your silver
beads.
Many silver beaded jewellery carry a
tarnished appearance to give the
piece depth and an antique look. One
needs to be very careful while
cleaning (if required) such silver
beaded ornaments. The tarnish can be
removed with anti-tarnish polishes,
or even lemon juice or toothpaste
with a soft cloth.
Cleaning silver beaded jewellery
embellished with crystals or
enameled beads or any other beads
treated with coatings need special
care. Remember the anti-tarnish
polish or lemon juice will react
with the coatings and normally
expose the bead under the coating
ruining the complete piece.
Store your silver beads away from
pollutants in a soft cloth bag or
airtight plastic covers. Remember to
wipe the silver after use and avoid
spraying harmful chemicals on it.
Unless, you like the tarnished look,
don't wear your silver beads while
swimming or in the shower.
Delicate filigreed beads, carved by
the tribal artisans, wound around
semi-precious stones, chunky large
stand alone beads as pendants -
silver beads are always in vogue.
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