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In recent years, the interest in artisan jewelry has surged. With the growing clientele seeking unique, meticulously crafted pieces, the term ‘artisan-made’ has become ubiquitous online. But what exactly constitutes artisan jewelry?
This guide aims to define artisan jewelry, the process of its creation, and the materials involved. Additionally, we’ll explain how to identify genuine artisan jewelry and distinguish it from other types of adornments.
Defining Artisan Jewelry
Artisan jewelry can be succinctly defined as handcrafted jewelry created by skilled artisans. While this captures the essence, there remains much debate and confusion about what qualifies as artisan jewelry.
At Jewelrylab, we believe true artisan pieces are made using traditional techniques and hand tools.
Artisan creators devote significant effort and attention to the value of their jewelry. The materials are carefully selected, and each piece is crafted with meticulous attention to detail.
Comprehending Artisan Jewelry
Artisan jewelry is all about crafting authentic, artistic pieces that are also practical. Each artisan brings their unique cultural values and essence into their creations.
At Jewelrylab, our handcrafted asymmetrical pieces are infused with love, attention, and soul. Our jewelry serves as a symbol of overcoming societal constraints, fear, and limitations.
We advocate for starting from scratch with artisan jewelry. Simply buying commercial materials and assembling them doesn’t align with the true artisan ethos. The process involves starting with a metal sheet, followed by hammering, shaping, embellishing, and finally styling.
How to Identify Handmade Jewelry
With the rise in demand for handmade jewelry, some businesses market their products as handmade to attract buyers, creating a misleading notion of handcrafted jewelry. Often, it’s more accurate to describe such pieces as hand-assembled rather than handmade.
Creating artisan jewelry requires more time, effort, and skill compared to assembling pre-manufactured pieces. Beaded jewelry is an exception, as it can be considered handmade if the beads are minimally processed or even raw.
So, how can you distinguish handmade jewelry?
Differentiating handmade from mass-produced jewelry can be challenging. A key indicator is usually the price; mass-produced items are generally cheaper because they are manufactured in large quantities by machines, leading to lower quality and issues like discoloration or rust over time.
This is not the case with artisan jewelry, which is handcrafted, often comes in limited quantities, and is made with passion and quality in mind. Consequently, handmade pieces are usually more expensive due to the use of higher-quality materials, originality, and custom fits.
The best way to ensure the authenticity of handmade jewelry is to purchase directly from the artisans.
Techniques and Materials in Artisan Jewelry
There are various techniques employed in the creation of artisan jewelry. Here, we delve into metalsmithing and wire wrapping.
Metalsmithing and Metalworking
One of the oldest jewelry-making methods is metalsmithing, which involves the precise manipulation of metals to create unique pieces. Techniques under metalsmithing include annealing, soldering, forging, and repousse.
Annealing
Annealing is a technique in metalsmithing where metal is softened by heating with a torch or kiln, making it easier to bend and shape. Post heating, the metal is quenched in cold water and then placed in a pickle to dissolve surface oxides.
Soldering
Soldering involves heating a metal alloy to its melting point to join two metals together, commonly used in creating cuffed and clipped jewelry. An example of this technique’s result is the Sagga Necklace.
Wire Wrapping
Wire wrapping is easily identifiable by the presence of wire in the design. It’s employed when working with pendants, charms, and beads. In essence, wire-wrapped jewelry features wire wrapped around various decorative elements.
Wire wrapping is a detailed technique that requires significant practice to master, but skilled artisans can use it to craft intricate and delicate designs, often involving materials such as gemstones or beads.
Variety of Materials Used in Artisan Jewelry
Artisan jewelry employs a variety of metals, with silver, gold, and platinum being the traditional choices. However, metals like brass, bronze, and steel are also commonly used in our rings, necklaces, and bracelets. A look through the JewelryLab bestsellers reveals that our designs frequently incorporate gemstones and crystals.
Sterling Silver
Sterling silver consists of 92.5% silver by weight and 7.5% other materials, usually copper. To mitigate tarnishing, other elements besides copper may be included. Sterling silver is a popular choice in artisan jewelry due to its inherent strength.
Copper
Copper is highly versatile and can produce various color variations because it oxidizes quickly. While it is not ideal for small, intricate pieces, it is perfect for larger, heavily formed jewelry.
Brass
Comprised of copper and zinc, brass can achieve a wide spectrum of colors. Though it requires regular annealing and can be overworked easily, brass remains a striking choice for jewelry pieces such as the 3 Dead Men Bracelet .
Gold
Gold jewelry purity is measured in karats. The commonly used high-quality gold in artisan jewelry is 22 and 24-karat, which exhibit a yellow color. Lower karat gold can yield colors like white, green-gold, and red. Given the high cost of pure high-karat gold, many artisans opt for gold-plated jewelry. A notable example from our collection is The Hanu Pendant Necklace.
Gemstones and Crystals
Gemstones and crystals impart a unique look and energy to handmade jewelry. These elements can be integrated into rings, earrings, and necklaces, often substituting a pendant or adding a burst of color. The Tangerine Crystal Necklace is an example of this. Crystals also bring an element of elegance and sophistication, like in our Black Onyx Ring.
Bottom Line
Artisan jewelry’s true value is often misunderstood due to false advertising. Ultimately, artisan jewelry is handcrafted by skilled professionals, each piece infused with a personal touch.
Those curious about the creation process at JewelryLab can get an insider’s view at how work is done in our studio.
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