Southwest Affinity - How is our sterling silver southwestern jewelry made

Sterling silver kokopelli pin - the flute player famous throughout the southwest. Some of the designs go back hundreds of years and are based on original works from Native American silversmiths from long ago. An example of this is this picture of the ancient flute player, Kokopelli. The sterling silver is poured into casts that have been carefully designed and carved by the craftsmen. The stones are cut and polished and securely placed in the sterling silver setting.

Our silversmiths use the very best sterling silver (.925) and natural turquoise, malachite, black onyx, coral, and pink mussel stones available. All our jewelry and artifacts are authentic Indian made and are works of art. Some have the designer's signature engraved on it and come with a picture of the craftsmen along with their name and the Tribe they belong too. Your not just purchasing jewelry, your investing in a piece of Native American history and art! For information on the Navajo silversmith and to see one of our artists at work click here. To learn more about white turquoise called the "sacred buffalo" click the sacred buffalo link.

Sterling silver ~ What exactly is sterling silver?

Even silver that has been fully work-hardened, either by rolling or forging, gradually recrystallizes, even at room temperature. This greatly softens the metal, making it susceptible to scratching and marring. To maintain hardness, therefore, other metals are added to form alloys that are harder, stronger, and less prone to fatigue.

The best-known copper-silver alloy is sterling, which is 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper. (In England sterling silver is traditionally identified by the hallmark of a lion passant.) Coin silver is an alloy of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper. For jewelry and ornaments, 85-90 percent silver (and the balance copper) is frequently used. Dental alloys of 60-70 percent silver, 18-25 percent tin, 2-14 percent copper, and 0.5-2 percent zinc are amalgamated with varying quantities of mercury to form the filling materials for cavities in teeth.

Silver and alloys of silver and copper, although stable in air, tarnish in the presence of sulfur. In order to improve tarnish resistance, up to 40 percent palladium is added. (Reprinted from an article on Silver Processing at britannica.com.)

If you have questions about silver, please do not hesitate to contact Michael Anthony Cheatham, our Cherokee silversmith with your questions. We have a question and answer message board available to all that wish to direct questions especially to him and our staff. Click here: Ask Cherokee silversmith, Michael Anthony Cheatham

Note: Our craftsmen use only the very best sterling silver, which is 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper, not the 85-90 percent silver and 10-15 percent copper traditionally used by most jewelers.