Sterling Silver | |||
Paula says - "In my opinion, these barrettes show design characteristics and workmanship of being Native American made. But because there is no hallmark that we can attribute to a specific artist we can't legally sell them as Native American made - read more."
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About Silver100% solid silver won't tarnish but it is too soft to use for making jewelry - it could easily be scratched, dented and bent. Sterling silver has a small amount of one or more other metals usually copper, added to the silver. To be called sterling silver, the alloy must contain at least 92.5% pure silver. Sterling silver alloy is harder than pure silver but the added metals also can cause discoloration or tarnish. |
What is Silverdust?Silver Dust, or Silverdust, is a technique that Navajo silversmiths use to add texture, contrast and sparkle to the background of a piece. Sterling silver shavings or filings are applied to the surface of a sterling silver piece and then heated just enough for the particles to adhere - resulting in a textured background. The silverdust process is more complicated that this quick description and involves other ingredients and great skill with the heat. If stones are going to be added to a piece, they are added after all heating processes, such as silverdusting, are completed. |
