Handmade silver jewelry is also crafted from silver sheets and are designed and cut into different pieces such as cuff bracelets, earrings and silhouette pendants. To make sure your piece is pure sterling silver look for marks that indicate 92.5 percent silver and only 7.5 percent copper or other metals. Sterling silver jewelry made from sterling silver sheets are drawn onto the sheet of silver and cut with a jewelers saw.
Workmanship of this type of jewelry should have straight cuts and smooth edges. One of a kind handmade silver jewelry can include precious gems that are embedded to set onto the finish. This expertise required for a designer to make this type of jewelry requires high skills and years of experience. It does take hours for even the adept designer to make each and every piece. The finished design can also be antiqued to bring out the details and give it a traditional or heirloom feel.
Do make sure when you are purchasing handmade silver jewelry there are not ends or wire sticking out. Fine designers will tuck, cut and file holding wires. It is their goal to have every piece of jewelry finished with exactness, precision, and quality. Most high end jewelry boutiques will not try to sell you alloy metal rather than real silver. To make sure your piece is authentic, however, look for a hallmark stamp on your silver design. The clasp or the underside should be marked with a .925 or .999.
The mark will also have the place of origin and the designer’s first initial on the piece. For example, TC will indicate Taxco silver and C will be the initial of the designer. Another test is to drop Nitric acid (a very small drop) on the jewelry piece. If the silver is not sterling or fine, the drop will turn green. Avoid buying silver jewelry that turns green! Handmade silver jewelry is made with pride and high quality work ethics. This sets it mass manufactured jewelry that may be sterling silver, but will not be hand crafted or unique.
