The Metals

Silver: I use either sterling (92.5%) or fine (99.9%) silver in my work. Fine silver is softer, and more amenable to crochet and knitting. I do not use silver plate. Bali silver is 92.5% silver, although the other metals in the alloy may vary from North American sterling. My Bali silver, particularly the larger beads is generally handcrafted in Bali - some of the tiny spacers may be machine made in the Bali style. Thai silver is also 92.5% and handcrafted in Thailand. Karen Hill Tribe silver is handcrafted fine silver - mine is purchased from a company who deals with the artisans in one particular Karen village in Thailand.
Care: Sterling silver will tarnish over time. Fine silver tarnishes much more slowly, but it will turn yellowish over time. I have provided an anti-tarnish strip with each piece - it is recommended that you seal it with the jewelry in a zip-lock bag. This will greatly retard the speed of oxidation. Regular upkeep with a soft polishing cloth is ideal. Many commercial polishing preparations and methods exist - the prime consideration is the other components in the piece - read labels carefully and take note of the precautions I have listed for the gemstones.

Copper: The copper wire I use has a durable anti-tarnish coating. Any non-coated forms will be so designated in the description.

Gold filled: Also known as gold overlay, and rolled gold. A sheet of gold is mechanically bonded to base metal (or in the case of wire, a tube of gold is pulled over the base metal wire.) It is a substantially thicker layer of gold than gold plate, and far more durable. The overlay is commonly 10Kt, 12Kt or 14Kt. If the gold is 12Kt or finer, the proportion of gold to base metal must be 1/20 by weight (10 Kt must be at least 1/10). Thus, the designation 12/20 refers to gold fill made with 12Kt gold comprising 1/20 of the total weight. The practical bottom line is that gold filled can last a lifetime, whereas gold plate might last weeks, or at best, a year.