COPPER Copper has a warm, sun-kissed tone that is wonderful for jewelry making. Copper is the only non-silver or non-gray colored metal besides gold. Copper is very useful for mixing with other metals to make alloys. Copper is both beautiful and useful. Copper is antimicrobial and kills germs on contact. Copper is 100% recyclable. The Statue of Liberty is made of Copper and has developed a natural green patina which protects the metal underneath. Copper is required in the formation of natural Turquoise and is always found in the same mines. Copper is in many household things that we use every day, including the microchips in our computers. Copper is even a trace mineral in our bodies that is used to make red blood cells.
STERLING SILVER Silver has a bright, shiny white tone that is wonderful for jewelry making. Silver is also antimicrobial. Sterling Silver is an alloy of 92.5% pure Silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually Copper. Pure Silver is a relatively soft metal. It is generally too soft to use for making jewelry. So a small amount of another metal is added to the Silver to increase the hardness and make it strong enough for various uses. You may have noticed the 925 marking on a piece of Sterling Silver jewelry. This refers to the fact that Sterling Silver is 92.5% pure Silver.
NOTE ON BLACK PEARLS Our black pearls are genuine freshwater pearls that have been color treated. Naturally occurring black pearls are very rare and very expensive. With our black pearls, you get the look without the expensive price!
NOTE ON TURQUOISE Genuine Turquoise is very rare and very expensive. Turquoise comes from mines in specific locations around the world such as China, Iran and the U.S.A. The characteristics of the Turquoise vary from mine to mine. A reputable seller should know which mine the Turquoise they are selling comes from. And someone knowledgeable about Turquoise may be able to tell which mine a stone came from based on its specific characteristics.
Because natural Turquoise has become so rare and so expensive, much of what is on the market today is imitation Turquoise. And there is nothing wrong with imitation Turquoise - as long as the seller clearly explains what the stone is. Most stones referred to as "Turquoise" these days are actually Howlite - a naturally white stone with veining that is color treated to look like Turquoise. The result is a very pretty stone that looks similar to Turquoise but at a fraction of the price.
Turquoise Howlite is what we use in our jewelry. And some of our other stones are also color treated. It is a great way to be able to have beautiful, vibrant colored stones at a reasonable price. We love the look of Turquoise and are glad to have turquoise-colored stones in our collection. Our goal is to create jewelry with the highest quality possible for the most affordable price. We carefully choose all of the materials we use and price everything accordingly.
