Provocative Inspiration Draws Us Into Silver Jewelry Design

Becoming a serious hobbyist designing silver jewelry, can deeply satisfy us in many ares of life as we overcome its challenges. Keeping awesome pieces that inspire our creativity near us will continue to remind us of the craft we aspire to master. Collecting unique silver jewelry and positioning a small platform near our workbench prompts rotation of the fascinating exhibitions, evoking fresh perspective, aflame. Keeping in view creations beyond our current skill to produce and inspiring pieces we may soon emulate, will continue to stimulate the various stages of our improvement.

Around 330 A.D., when Byzantium had been taken by Constantine the 1st,, which is today's Istanbul, Turkey, much of the Byzantine Jewelry produced remains popular, today. A novice jeweler could start by designing their own Byzantine necklace, using dead-soft sterling silver wire. This isn't instruction, but by gathering many jump rings of various gauges and ring size combinations, we may create our first treasure by our own hands, learn to solder and more, and thoroughly enjoy this path with ardent determination. Start with 18 gauge and a 4.0 mm inner diameter (ID) ring, and creatively vary ring size while learning. The 16 gauge goes with a 4.8mm ID; 20 gauge, a 3.2 mm ID; and a 22 gauge goes with a 2.5 mm ID ring. Check the internet for quality Byzantine jewelry

Beginning with choices of techniques, wire work draws the novice because it requires few tools. But soon, we'll want to learn to solder. Conflicting answers become available about the skill. We should seek training materials or advice from long time jewelers, or both. The following only gives an itch satisfaction and a reason to continue the quest to acquire fresh, inspirational entertainment as we increase our artistic prowess.

To produce enough heat to solder any kind of jewelry, we must invest in a jewelers torch, not a soldering iron. Setting up correctly will provide motivation and a workbench, tools, and our display of a collection of silver jewelry will spur us onward. For soldering, we need boric acid and denatured alcohol. It protects, while reducing tarnishing and fire-scaling. We need flux for smooth solder flow, and water to rinse the pickling cleaner, which we apply to the silver jewelry after soldering.

Solder won't fill a gap, but flows into the joints: touch the pieces together perfectly before soldering, set on stands we can build ourselves with variously strengthened clamps to hold the silver in place. Pick an appropriate sanding tool to close unwanted gaps. Dirt and pickling solution prevent solder flow, so we clean before, and between soldering if we need more solder. Place nothing closer to the heat than necessary to best focus the torch where we want it. We heat the bigger piece first so as not to melt anything before the solder flows. Solder flows to the heat and we must keep the fire smoothly in motion. We find the best fire size for the correct temperature with practice.

Another excellent form new artists use molds Precious Metal Clay (PMC), made from reclaimed silver, gold, and bronze, extracted from scrap electronics. Japanese scientists developed a pliable substance that combines particles of one or more of the precious metals with an elastic, water based organic binder, which manufacturers vacuum pack. If we mold PMC to the desired shape fresh out of the package, smooth it out, and creatively detail it, we may fire the PMC in a kiln and only the precious metal remains, 10 to 20% smaller, after the binder burns away. Keep collecting, but add your own distinction.

The author, Timothy G. Cochran, writes freelance articles and more. Because of interests in Jewelry and internet marketing, he has written for SilverWOW!, the owner of a popular Unique Mens Jewelry, for over a year. SilverWOW! sells a selection of ( http://www.silverwow.net/ )?Mens Unique Bracelets?& Chains and specializes in Heavy Designs ( http://www.silverwow.net/mens-chunky-silver-necklaces.html ). Tim has been writing for a couple of decades. Anyone and everyone may republish this article in part or in full as long as none of the wording is changed and the original Resource Box stays intact, unchanged, and is included with the article when any part of it is republished, anywhere. ~Tim Cochran