Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is the standard silver used for UK Assay marks.  It is made from 92.5% and 7.5% copper or other alloy.  When exposed to air, sterling silver will darken and take on a patina, but this can be removed by polishing.  When sterling silver jewellery is not worn, I recommend storage in an airtight container or bag to prevent tarnishing.

Some of the sterling silver used in the designs has been oxidised to create a darker colour to highlight the design.


Hill Tribe Silver

Hill Tribe silver is made by the Hill Tribe people in Northern Thailand.  The silver is between 98-99% pure silver and each piece is handmade using age-old methods.  Because the silver is almost pure, it is softer and allows for intricate patterns to be marked on the silver.  The silver is normally oxidised to blacken it, then polished so that the stamped and grooved areas are dark and the intricate pattern is hightlighted.

Hill Tribe silver is made and sold under a Fair-Trade scheme to encourage and fairly reward local silversmiths.


Balinese Silver

Balinese silver is sterling silver (as above) made in Bali and has a distinctive design.  More often than not, the silver is oxidised to highlight the intricate patterns.


Gold Vermeil

Gold vermeil is a type of gold-plating.  Carat gold is heavily electroplated over a sterling silver base.  Different carat grades are usually, but the grade used in most of these designs are 24ct gold over sterling silver.


Gold-Filled or Rolled-Gold

Gold-filled components are made by bonding layers of gold over a base metal.  The quality of gold used in the bonding process is normally 14ct and layered over brass.  Gold-filled metal has more durability than gold vermeil and is a good alternative to solid gold for long-life and price.


Lampwork Beads

Lampworking is an old form of glass art, now made using propane torches to melt and shape the glass beads.   Most of the lampwork beads used in my designs have been handmade by glass artists so no two beads are identical.   Often the beads are made in small limited numbers so that the designs you receive are one-of-a-kind pieces.


Semi-precious stones

The gemstones that are used in my designs are sourced from across the world.  I try to ensure that when sourcing the beads I am buy good quality stones from reputable organisations.  I love trying different gemstones and source ranges from chunky jaspers to AAA quality pink amethysts to use in my designs.  More details on gemstones and their properties are included on a separate page.