Adornment of the self has always been important to people. The popularity of jewelry and other body ornaments attest to the fact. In photos of our ancestors, there has always been present a form of ornamentation. Sometimes these are in the form of tattoos, ancient make up, body paint, piercing, and the use of jewelry. It is said that the first pieces of jewelry served a religious purpose more than an aesthetic one. The said body ornaments were fashioned into symbolic shapes that fit into a people’s set beliefs. Be that as it may, the practice of wearing jewelry has been handed down to us in the present day. Everybody owns and wears a piece of jewelry. Large amounts of money are spent in the procuring of these items. This practice has allowed us to pour our artistry into the crafting of exquisite pieces in a variety of materials.
The most beautiful piece of fine jewelry invented is the silver bracelet. Silver, like gold, is a precious metal. It is mined from deep within the earth. It is a soft malleable metal when in its pure form. It is only slightly harder than its fellow precious metal, gold. Most of the silver is mixed into an alloy with other metals, and called sterling silver. This accounts for the relative solidity and hardness of jewelry, silverware, and other silver products. It is a very attractive metal, due to its shimmering white color, its lustrous brilliancy, and its ability to be polished to a high shine. Makers of jewelry love this element of the earth because of its ease in shaping and crafting. No forge is needed in the manufacture of a silver bracelet. A quiet place, a space to work, and simple tools such as stakes and hammers are all that one needs in the crafting of this metal.
The artisans responsible for turning flat silver metal into useful objects are called silversmiths. A silver bracelet owes its existence to this group of people, and on designers specializing in fine jewelry as well. The collaborative method of making silver ornaments makes use of the skills of these two highly specialized people. The silver bracelets can be designed as a single piece with one kind of material only, or a range of other precious stones are incorporated. Some of these ornaments have a setting of diamonds, emeralds, rubies, or other semi precious gemstones such as amber, opal, amethyst, quartz, jasper, sapphire, and turquoise.
Aside from the simple method described above, the method of shaping the silver is varied. There is the lost cast method which makes use of a kiln. There is the forging method which creates a single piece. There is the engraving method and the use of hand tooling. Then there is the type of finish. There are 4 major types:
- The high polish
- The satin or matte finish
- The brushed or textured
- And the hammered
Sterling silver is usually flashed or plated with pure silver, rhodium, or gold. The finished product is then sold in fine high end jewelry stores.
