Creating beautiful pieces of art includes more than painting on canvas, sculpting with clay, or chalking the sidewalk at an outdoor festival. We sometimes overlook jewelry as an art because it’s so easily mass produced and picked up at the local mall. But now, with communities like Etsy, people are able to share their artistic creations. Handcrafted jewelry is a beautiful way to express your inner creative abilities.
Using sterling silver in jewelry crafting is popular because the metal is beautiful as well as hardy. Pure silver is too soft for everyday wear and difficult to craft because it doesn’t hold its shape. Sterling silver, on the other hand, is harder and more durable than pure silver. If you’re interested in making jewelry with sterling silver, it’s important to start with the right tools and materials.
Depending on the type and size of the jewelry you want to make, you’ll need the right kind of sterling silver sheeting or clay silver. When you purchase sterling silver, always check for the number 92.5—this is true sterling silver, with the right mix of pure silver and other metals.
Some other basic tools you’ll need include a jeweler’s saw, a buffing machine, saw blades and buffing wheels of various sizes, jewelry polish, a stove top burner for firing silver pieces made with silver clay, and a drill with small bits. Most of these tools can be purchased through the Internet or at a local craft store.
Other important tools are used depending on the design of the jewelry being made. You can use files for sanding down rough edges after sawing, or hammers equipped with various design plates to add texture to the silver. A small blowtorch can also solder pieces together. It’s a good idea to practices these techniques on inexpensive metals, like copper, until you’re familiar with the results.
Once you have the proper tools and a little practice, it’s up to you to determine which material to work with – silver sheeting or clay silver. Silver sheeting does not require firing after you’ve designed your piece, while clay silver needs to be fired in order to set the design. Clay silver also has a higher silver content, and so it’s softer after polishing. It’s important to know how materials will hold up, because it impacts the quality of the jewelry.
You can work with sterling silver as a hobby or even a side business (that’s how Magic Zoo got started!). But whatever you do with it, crafting sterling silver into earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and other jewelry is a great form of expression and artistic outlet. With the proper tools and your imagination, you can create beautiful, wearable works of art.