Karmadaze Unique Silver
All About Silver
We hope the following information will be helpful when purchasing Sterling Silver Jewellery
The Origin of Silver - (4000BC).
The area of Anatolia (modern Turkey) in 4000BC is considered the first major source of mined silver, silver from this region largely served as the source for the Western cultures flourishing in the Near East, Crete, and Greece.
An excellent site for a detailed history of silver mining from 4000BC - Present.
'THE SILVERINSTITUTE'
www.silverinstitute.org/facts/old_world.php
What is Sterling Silver
It seems to be unclear whether this term originated in Europe or Britain but it has been a term used in Britain since the 13th century, sterling silver indicates a work of silver is at least 925 parts per thousand in its silver content (.925) the remaining 75 part per thousand (.075) is usually copper.
This blend of silver and copper is deemed ideal for jewellery making, pure silver (.999) is very soft and although it is easily formed and engraved it lacks durability and strength for jewellery making, the added copper gives the silver the durable hardness without losing its workability.
Sterling Silver has become the benchmark for quality jewellery which is usually indicated by a Hallmark.
What is a Hallmark
A Hallmark is the mark stamped or impressed on a precious metal such as sterling silver, that indicates the purity or quality.
Hallmarks have been in use by the British and French since the 14th century and many countries have their own system of Hallmarking. A Hallmark may be in the form of letters (sterling, sterling silver), numbers (925, .925) or by symbols, these can also be accompanied by several other marks which can include the place of manufacture or a Makers Mark . These Marking Systems can be quite complex but there are many reference books and even pocket size books available as a guide.
An excellent source found on the web - Link provided below!
Makers Marks
The makers mark was instituted in London in 1363 to prevent the forgery of leopard's head marks on inferior silver, the makers mark would indicate who was responsible for the piece. These marks were originally in the form of pictures but by the beginning of the 17th century it had become common practice to use the makers initials.
Antique Jewellery
For an item of jewellery to be classed as Antique it must be at least 100 years old.
There are many original designs that have been reproduced over the years, so if you are buying Antique jewellery you need to have a sound knowledge of period styles, hallmarks and makers marks.
Vintage Jewellery
Vintage is a term that indicates the item is around 30 years old, however it is also used to describe jewellery that is from another design era.
Vintage jewellery is extremely popular at the present time for many reasons, for collectors it may be, the history, the unique designs, the quality of workmanship, or the poularity of the designer, sometimes we just like to wear something that is different.
Thai Hill Tribe Jewellery
There are seven major tribes in Northern Thailand collectively called hill tribes, these semi nomadic people migrated south from China over 100 years ago, these seven tribes are the largest and most prominent hill tribes, they are the Karen, H'mong, Akha, Lisu, Lahu, and Yao.
Each of these tribes has their own distinct culture, religion, language and style of dress. A rich part of their cultural tradition is the making of silver jewellery, this silver has been used as their currency system and the women often display their wealth in heavy chunky necklaces.
The highly skilled Hill tribe silver workers, handcraft each individual piece of jewellery adorning them with intricate traditional designs, the silver used is usually between 95-99% pure, higher than sterling silver which is 92.5%, the higher silver content means the silver is softer and more easily shaped and hand worked.
Thai hill tribe jewellery is not marked or stamped, unlike the Thai factory produced silver which is usually marked sterling silver.
C
karma-daze@bigpond.com
Phone/Fax
Within Australia - 03 97232382
International - 61 3 97232382
