Handcrafted Jewelry Made of Gold

Handcrafted jewelry is especially famous for the highly qualitative materials which are used in its creation. Obviously, this is very important, and people pay a lot of attention to this feature. Good quality does not only influence the durability of an ornament, but also its appearance.

Gold was, is, and will always be the most popular material for handcrafted jewelry. It is the classical decision and its elegance cannot be excelled by any other precious metal. In the so-called industry of handcrafted jewelry, the “14 karat” gold is considered to be most common. It is not a secret that gold is usually alloyed with other metals, in order to become more durable. You shouldn’t be disappointed to hear that, because the pure 24 karat gold is too soft to be used for jewelry. The notion of karat is meant to express the amount of pure gold from such an obtained metal. Handcrafted jewelry uses, in fact, only 14 karat gold (58.3 percent of precious metal) and 18 karat gold (75 percent of precious metal).

We are all used to see yellow gold, with its shiny surface and pleasant warm nuance. But there is also rose and white gold available on the market. The color of this metal depends on the amount of other metals alloyed in the handcrafted jewelry. Therefore, you can choose a unique item with a special color, in order to amaze people around you even more.

If you cannot afford to purchase a handmade accessory made from gold, you could opt for a gold filled jewelry. It will create the same impression as the expensive ornaments, but its price will be much lower. As you can see, innovative technologies and ideas have made personal jewels affordable for each of us. Wouldn’t it be a pity not to benefit from this?

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Why Is Silver Made Jewelry So Popular?

Handcrafted jewelry is often made from sterling silver. This concept is very popular in this specific area, because it allows creating highly qualitative and beautiful items. In fact, it is on the second place among most used materials in the personal ornamentation industry.

In essence, sterling silver means an alloy made out of 92.5% pure silver 7.5% of cooper. The obtained substance is very durable and strong, and it is perfect for handcrafted jewelry. Just like gold, silver cannot be used in its pure form, because of its natural softness. This is the reason why jewelers use this special alloy.

Have you ever wondered how come silver has such a shiny surface? Frankly speaking, it is not a natural characteristic. In order to obtain such results, jewelers use some special techniques. Flashing, for example, supposes plating the sterling silver with a layer of .999 silver. Sometimes, the ornamentation item can be plated with rhodium, in order to obtain the sparkling effect. This is why handcrafted jewelry made from silver is so impressively beautiful.

But the right selection of silver accessories is not the only important thing. You should also know how to maintain the glimmering aspect of your handcrafted jewelry. Unfortunately, sterling silver can tarnish, as a result of the interaction with air. In order to prevent this process, you should polish the surface of your ornament with a special material. Another efficient method is washing it with mild soap and warm water. It is important not to let your silver jewel unobserved, as it can darken and become impossible to clean without professional help.

Despite of these small drawbacks, handcrafted jewelry made of silver is and will always remain extremely popular. It is not only attractive, but also qualitative and affordable. Therefore, you will not regret purchasing such ornament items.

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African style

What do we know about Africa? It is a beautiful country, with specific culture and wild traditions. It has poor, but honest people, who have a lot of things to teach us. However, there is much more about this part of the world. African handcrafted jewelry is one of the elements which allow us to understand it better and deeper. This is why it is so popular in the whole world.

The most important feature of African handcrafted jewelry is the fact that it has more than only ornamental functions. Each jewel is strongly influenced by religion and traditions; therefore it has a special meaning. The forms of these items are related to a certain social group, while its materials are a sign for the specific region where it is worn.

Generally, there are three main regions in Africa, and three main styles for handcrafted jewelry: equatorial, savannah and desert countries. Obviously, each of these types has unique and interesting elements, which present features of diverse tribes.

Speaking about this, tribal handcrafted jewelry is especially famous in the developed society. It represents the essence of primordial people best of all. Thus they are most attractive for the lovers of exotics. Such products as Ethiopian crosses, Nigerian Coconut Necklaces, Ghana Beads, and giraffe neck rings are highly appreciated by European and American people, because of the special atmosphere and impressions they give.

Frankly speaking, it is difficult to tell why we are so impressed by African handcrafted jewelry. Maybe it is because of the wild elements in it, which add some spice to our standard lives, or maybe we simply want to feel part of a mysterious world. In all possible cases, we have the great possibility to wear such beautiful ornaments and to become more than superficial modern people.

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