These are made from tiny silver balls, that I create by melting my scrap sterling and pure silver (all the little bits of wire and bits of sheet), and then group together in triples, soldering them and the stud fitting simultaneously. This results in earrings that are all slightly different, measuring between 4 and 5 mm at the widest point.
I make heaps of balls on those days when I want to get my blow torch out, but don't feel particularly inspired. Melting silver is very rewarding - when it is intentional!!
After I make them, I put them in my barrel polisher, so they have a good depth of shine.
They come, of course, with slightly more generous 925 sterling butterfly backs for comfort!
I tend to make these in small batches of about 5 pairs, so that I can match the groupings*
and I currently have a number of pairs in stock ready for immediate dispatch. These photos are a very representative example - I bring them to my fairs, where they are really popular with all ages as stocking fillers / small gift additions.
*It's quite a challenge to achieve matching teeny balls from scrap, so I make every pair to match / mirror image, but some pairs have a variety of sizes within the triplet.
I could, of course, make you larger ones, or ones with more balls if you would like to contact me to discuss timescales and price.
Shown on a UK penny, and 1 dime (USA) coins for scale.
Recycled 925 sterling silver triplet studs
Sterling Silver will eventually oxidise or tarnish. It's a natural process that can be slowed down by regular wear and by keeping unworn items away from the atmosphere. If you leave your jewellery out on display, this oxidisation will be faster. You can polish up your items, with a soft cloth, some silver polish, or a buffing cloth such as Town Talk, which is readily available from any high street jewellers in the UK
Fine silver is 99.9% silver, and because of this the tarnish rate is much, much slower. Again, a buff should do the job for polishing it back up. If I have patinated your silver already, be gentle when buffing!
Each piece should stand up to regular wear, but , as with all jewellery, please remove it before washing, using chemicals or applying perfume etc
Apply body lotion and perfume a few minutes before putting on your jewellery to help slow down tarnish
The sterling silver used in these items was sold to me by my bullion dealer as certified recycled.
The gemstones I use have been sold to me by reputable dealers as untreated (unless stated specifically in the listing). They are a natural, organic creation from the earth and each one will be slightly different. You can see examples of this on my Facebook page.
I select the stones that I think go together best for each project, hence my comments that each item is individual.