What is sterling silver ?

Silver that is at least 92.5 percent pure with 7.5 parts of another metal, usually copper, to make the piece harder.

What is Thai silver ?

Hill Tribe Silver of Thailand (Thai Silver) are beads and pendants that have been made by the ethnic minorities that live in the mountain regions of northern Thailand. They are usually 99.9% pure silver.

Thai silver pieces are amazing works of art, all made by hand, and little or no machinery. Because of this, no two pieces are exactly alike. Beads are hammered and etched, and others are sculpted into shapes, often emulating objects from nature such as ladybirds, butterflies, fish, seashells, leaves, and many different types of flowers.

What is lampwork ?

Lampwork beads are handmade by skilled artisans who work molten glass around a wire or mandrel to shape and add color and design components. Since they are handmade, each bead is a unique work of art. After this initial stage of the beadmaking process is done, the bead is further fired in an oven to increase it's sheen and to make it more durable. This is called annealing.

How do I look after my jewellery ?

All silver tarnishes naturally, but higher content silver tarnishes more slowly, and not as badly as sterling. To help prevent tarnishing, store your silver jewellery in air tight plastic baggies in a cool dry place. Some jewellery boxes are lined with anti-tarnish fabric, or you can buy anti tarnish strips from Lakeland Limited . Do not wear silver swimming!

You can clean off tarnish using a regular cloth, or a special anti-tarnish cloth. Clean the silver carefully and avoid polishing the other beads on your jewellery, such as crystals with an AB finish, as the anti-tarnish cloth can remove that finish. Using a cloth should not damage or remove the dark oxidation in the recesses of the silver.

Put your jewellery on after getting dressed, and take it off before getting undressed. This will help to prevent breakages.

Do remember that glass can break if dropped, hit against something hard or exposed to extreme changes of temperature. Please discard any broken beads immediately. If you would like me to repair any jewellery please email me.My jewellery is not intended for children as beads can pose a choking hazard.

Photos

The photos on my website have been taken in natural daylight. However, computer monitors vary in the way they show colour. If you would like to see more photos of a piece of jewellery please contact me.