METALS
Fine Silver
Fine silver must contain no less than 99.9% pure silver for it to legally be designated as “fine”. It is somewhat softer than sterling, so is best for pieces that won’t receive a lot of wear, such as necklaces and earrings. Due to its high purity, it doesn’t tarnish easily and is usually well-tolerated by those that have metal sensitivities.
Sterling Silver
Sterling silver contains 92.5% silver and the remainder is other metals (the sterling I use contains copper as the alloying metal). This combination creates a durable, harder-wearing metal, making it ideal for rings, bracelets or anything that might be worn regularly. Because of the copper content, it does tend to tarnish more easily than fine silver.
Argentium Silver
Argentium silver is a newer alloy that was patented in the late 1990’s. It is a silver alloy containing at least 93.5% silver and a percentage of the metal germanium, giving it tarnish-resistant properties and a more “grey” tone, similar to platinum.
Copper
Copper is the first metal to be used by man and still remains an important part of American and worldwide industry. Copper is quite soft and lends itself well to die striking or other applications where a great deal of detail needs to be captured and highlighted by a patina. Its color also makes it a great choice for mixed metal jewelry.
Brass & Bronze
Brass and bronze are both alloyed metals, typically consisting of a combination of tin and copper. It is excellent for accents where gold is not a feasible choice but the contrast is still desired. It takes a beautiful patina and can display amazing shades ranging from blue to green to nearly white, depending on the patina technique used.
Gold
Gold is the obvious choice for luxury jewelry. It typically varies in karat (the percentage of gold contained in the alloy) from 9k to 22k. A soft metal, 24k gold is usually considered too soft to use as anything but an accent.
STONES
Turquoise
Turquoise is easily my favorite stone to work with. I primarily use domestic turquoises mined in the US and Mexico. These include Royston, Kingman, #8, Easter Blue, Baja, Sonoran Gold, Campitos, Morenci, Bisbee, Sonoran Blue Jay, Sleeping Beauty, Ithaca Peak, Pilot Mountain, Turquoise Mountain, and White Water, among others. I also use some Persian Turquoise, Hubei and Bamboo Mountain. Turquoise is a soft stone and is some is stabilized to strengthen and decrease porosity. I use both natural and stabilized turquoise. Natural turquoise often develops a patina after a period of wear, darkening as it absorbs the oils from your skin. This is normal and adds to the charm of natural turquoise.
White Buffalo
White Buffalo comes from Nevada and is often referred to as “white turquoise” but, because it contains no copper, is not turquoise. The brilliant white is streaked or veined with a deep black matrix, making it a striking stone. It takes a beautiful polish and lends itself well to a variety of jewelry.
Other Stones
I use a wide variety of other stones, including labradorite, agate, jasper, chalcedony, tourmaline and sapphire, among others.
Spiny Oyster
Spiny oyster comes from the shell of an edible mollusk that thrives along the Baja Peninsula in the Sea of Cortez and in the Atlantic from North Carolina to Brazil. It is most commonly found in a cheerful orange color, but can range to purples, reds, pinks and browns. It pairs beautifully with turquoise and other vibrant stones.
Wild Horse Magnesite
Wild Horse is a beautiful, creamy white stone with a rich brown matrix. Often called “Wild Horse Turquoise”, it is not a true turquoise but looks similar. Nevada is the only place genuine Wild Horse is mined.
Rosarita
Rosarita isn’t a natural stone but rather a somewhat rare by-product of gold smelting. The gold is what gives it its rich, red color. It is more affordable than coral and pairs beautifully with other stones such and turquoise and black onyx.