Jewellery Making Using Sterling Silver Findings

Sterling silver findings are the essential components that link together the parts of a piece of jewellery and give you that professional finish. Without jewellery findings it would be very difficult to incorporate gemstones into your work, for example, or to link the ends of a simple chain and turn it into a beautiful necklace. By using silver findings, you can give your jewellery that professional look and increase the value of the finished piece.

Sterling silver is quite a soft metal, so gentle handling is required when working with silver findings. Findings come in every shape and size and can be used for practically any jewellery-making project. Silver is a particularly good metal to work with when using gemstones, as its ability to catch the light adds depth to a well-cut stone, complementing it rather than overwhelming its natural beauty.

By using a silver finding that incorporates a setting for a cabochon, the depth of the stone is emphasised by the light reflected back from the silver behind it. Silver findings can be worked and re-worked to create the desired effect, as the metal is a very ‘forgiving’ medium to work in and any mistakes can be easily rectified with a little care.

If you are working with Sterling silver findings, it is essential that you use the right equipment to avoid damaging the soft surface of the metal. Although harder than gold, silver scratches easily and a deep mark can be very difficult to polish out. Many silver findings are extremely small (such as the universal jump ring, crimp Beads and sterling silver earring wires) and can be awkward to handle. By using a pair of pointed nose pliers, you can hold your jewellery findings securely and safely without exerting too much pressure on the metal and damaging it.

Silver findings are used in almost every type of jewellery – from delicate filigree work to brash and cheerful costume jewellery. Silver is eternally popular and many people prefer to wear silver jewellery for everyday use. By incorporating silver findings into your work you can turn a simple string of Beads into a more complex design, giving you a unique necklace that calls attention both to the elements within it and to the wearer. Alternatively, sterling silver findings can allow the beauty of a gemstone to take precedence or for foil Beads to dominate a necklace without the eye being distracted by flashy findings.

Silver findings can also be helpful to people who are allergic to nickel-plated findings, particularly in earring wires. Some people can only wear precious metal findings in their skin, as other types can cause an unpleasant allergic reaction. Sterling silver earring findings are not as expensive as you would think, so it may be good practice to use these instead of the cheaper non-silver findings to avoid any possible reaction.

Silver bracelets always look elegant and are as popular now as they have ever been. A simple band with a jewellery finding incorporated into it to hold a cabochon can make a clean, modern looking ‘watch’ style bracelet that draws attention to the gemstone rather than the band itself. The same is true for silver rings, and ring ‘blanks’ that have a claw setting in them to hold a gemstone make the perfect base for a stunning ring of any size.

Sterling silver findings are an essential part of jewellery making and should have a special place in any jewellery maker’s workbox. They’re cheap and easily available and compliment any gemstone perfectly.

About the Author

Adam Hunter – E-commerce Marketing Manager of cooksongold.com. Cookson Precious Metals offer a choice of
jewellery making supplies
from over 10,000 products including gold and
silver findings
, tools, precious metal clay and gold and silver sheet – gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Contacts: Adam Hunter E-commerce Marketing Manager Tel(DDI): +44 (0) 121 212 6491 E-mail: adam.hunter@cooksongold.com

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