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Jewellery Materials
I only use the precious metals, components and stones of the highest quality in my jewellery. Listed below are a range of the materials I use:
Rolled Gold/Gold-filled
Rolled gold also known as gold-filled wire is widely used in jewellery making in America and is slowly gathering popularity in this country. It is superior to normal gold plating as it is 50 - 100,000 times thicker and so has a longer life. It is also much more affordable than gold which is why it is so popular. Rolled gold/gold-filled is made by using intense heat and pressure to apply a layer of 10kt, 12kt or 14kt to a base metal such as brass. Rolled gold/gold-filled should be cleaned carefully using non abrasive materials and a soft cloth so as not to disturb the plating.
Sterling Silver
The sterling silver I use tends to be 925 which means it is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Silver can be brought in 999 which is pure silver but that is very soft and not always ideal for jewellery making. Sterling silver should be cleaned using specialist cleaning products whilst being mindful of other elements of the jewellery such as beads and stones.
Thai Silver
Imported by an experienced and trustworthy supplier with 15 years experience who is based in the village of Chaing-mai in the north of Thailand the silver I buy is produced by native Karen artisan from Karen hill tribe village in Chaing-mai. The silver has a higher silver content than sterling silver being 97% instead of 92.5%.
Vermeil
I occasionally use Vermeil products in my jewellery - vermeil is a French term for gold plate over silver rather than over a base metal making is slightly more expensive and of better quality than normal plating.
Swarovski Crystal
Swarovski has been making crystal for more than a century and the Swarovski I use are authentic 32.2% lead-oxide Strass crystal. They are more expensive than other brands of crystal as they are specially cut and polished in order to bring out the maximum colour and beauty of each piece. Swarovski currently comes in over 130 colours the trick for me in finding someone that stocks that many. They should be cleaned extremely careful just using a clean soft cloth and no other cleaning or abrasive materials - extra special care should be taken when cleaning the AB coated Swarovski crystals.
Natural Gemstones
Gemstones are characterised by their technical specifications, their chemical composition and their crystal system such as cubic or trigonal or monoclinic. They are classified into different groups, species, and varieties, for example beryl or corundum. Gems have refractive index, dispersion, specific gravity, hardness, cleavage, fracture, and lustre. They often have naturally occuring flaws known as inclusions.
I import my gemstones from around the world and always use the best and most trustworthy suppliers who provide unusual and high quality stones.
Synthetic Gemstones
Manufactured and grown in a lab - they posses very nearly all the identical chemical and physical characteristics known in the naturally occurring variety but without inclusions and faults.
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