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What is Wire Art or Wire Work Jewelry?

Wire work jewelry is an art form dating back nearly 5,000 years that has recently taken its rightful place in the fine jewelry market. No glue or solder is used in the construction of the jewelry and the sculpting is done solely by strong fingers with the help of a few small hand-held tools. Because wire work jewelry is completely hand-crafted, no piece can be replicated exactly which ensures the wearer a truly unique piece of art jewelry.


 

Gold-filled vs Gold-plated

 Gold-fill is unlike gold-plate in that gold-fill is generally considered a lifetime product and will not tarnish or wear off like electroplated products will. Gold-fill contains 100 times the amount of gold than gold-plate!

Gold-fill (also known as "rolled gold") is a layer of 10k or better gold that is mechanically bonded under heat and pressure to one or more surfaces of a supporting metal and then rolled, or drawn to a given thickness. All of the ones you see on this website consist of 14k/20 as opposed to 12k/20 gold-fill for its higher gold content and lasting durability.

 

Bali Sterling Silver

The distinctive styling of a Bali sterling is apparent by the intricate detail and high quality of their beads and other components. Each one is individually crafted by an extremely labor-intensive process requiring tremendous skill and patience. The Balinese silversmiths devote the same attentive care into each bead that they put into all aspects of their ceremonial life. Perhaps this is why we find the Balinese components so irresistible. It’s not just a bead, but the reflection of a culture; the people, their perfectionism, and the devotion to their work which denotes each piece a work of art.

 

Chinese Jade

The word "jade" and its Chinese counterpart "yü" are terms applied to 2 hard stones that may resemble one another, but are of entirely different chemical composition.  Jadeite, a sodium aluminum silicate from the pyroxene family of minerals, is harder than nephrite and is crystalline.  Prized for its brilliant apple and emerald green colors, it is imported from Burma and has been carved in China for only 3 centuries. 

Nephrite, a magnesium silicate from the amphibole family of minerals, is slightly softer than jadeite, and is fibrous.  This mineral is the most revered of all in China and is called "chen-yü" or true jade.  China's most important source of nephrite throughout history has been the Khotan and Yankand regions of central Asia.  Nephrite carving began in the early Neolithic period (3500 B.C.).

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