| Sterling silver findings are the essential | | | | metal and damaging it. |
| components that link together the parts of a | | | | Silver findings are used in almost every type of |
| piece of jewelery and give you that professional | | | | jewelery - from delicate filigree work to brash |
| finish. Without jewelery findings it would be very | | | | and cheerful costume jewelery. Silver is eternally |
| difficult to incorporate gemstones into your work, | | | | popular and many people prefer to wear silver |
| for example, or to link the ends of a simple chain | | | | jewelery for everyday use. By incorporating silver |
| and turn it into a beautiful necklace. By using silver | | | | findings into your work you can turn a simple |
| findings, you can give your jewelery that | | | | string of beads into a more complex design, giving |
| professional look and increase the value of the | | | | you a unique necklace that calls attention both to |
| finished piece. | | | | the elements within it and to the wearer. |
| Sterling silver is quite a soft metal, so gentle | | | | Alternatively, sterling silver findings can allow the |
| handling is required when working with silver | | | | beauty of a gemstone to take precedence or for |
| findings. Findings come in every shape and size | | | | foil beads to dominate a necklace without the eye |
| and can be used for practically any | | | | being distracted by flashy findings. |
| jewelery-making project. Silver is a particularly | | | | Silver findings can also be helpful to people who |
| good metal to work with when using gemstones, | | | | are allergic to nickel-plated findings, particularly in |
| as its ability to catch the light adds depth to a | | | | earring wires. Some people can only wear |
| well-cut stone, complementing it rather than | | | | precious metal findings in their skin, as other |
| overwhelming its natural beauty. | | | | types can cause an unpleasant allergic reaction. |
| By using a silver finding that incorporates a setting | | | | Sterling silver earring findings are not as expensive |
| for a cabochon, the depth of the stone is | | | | as you would think, so it may be good practice to |
| emphasized by the light reflected back from the | | | | use these instead of the cheaper non-silver |
| silver behind it. Silver findings can be worked and | | | | findings to avoid any possible reaction. |
| re-worked to create the desired effect, as the | | | | Silver bracelets always look elegant and are as |
| metal is a very 'forgiving' medium to work in and | | | | popular now as they have ever been. A simple |
| any mistakes can be easily rectified with a little | | | | band with a jewelery finding incorporated into it to |
| care. | | | | hold a cabochon can make a clean, modern |
| If you are working with Sterling silver findings, it is | | | | looking 'watch' style bracelet that draws attention |
| essential that you use the right equipment to | | | | to the gemstone rather than the band itself. The |
| avoid damaging the soft surface of the metal. | | | | same is true for silver rings, and ring 'blanks' that |
| Although harder than gold, silver scratches easily | | | | have a claw setting in them to hold a gemstone |
| and a deep mark can be very difficult to polish | | | | make the perfect base for a stunning ring of any |
| out. Many silver findings are extremely small (such | | | | size. |
| as the universal jump ring, crimp beads and | | | | Sterling silver findings are an essential part of |
| sterling silver earring wires) and can be awkward | | | | jewelery making and should have a special place in |
| to handle. By using a pair of pointed nose pliers, | | | | any jewelery maker's work box. They're cheap |
| you can hold your jewelery findings securely and | | | | and easily available and compliment any gemstone |
| safely without exerting too much pressure on the | | | | perfectly. |