The art of Silver All of Catherine's designs are totally original, in fact, as each is handwrought no two are the same. Her designs are unmistakable... anyone possessing certain individuality and style will undoubtedly appreciate her work. She prides herself on the creative freedom she uses within the design process, allowing her to develop her ideas into stunning creations. She works with the best quality sterling silver which has a purity of 92.5% silver alloyed with 7.5% copper for strength as pure silver by nature is very soft. Many people think they shouldn't wear gold and silver together, on the contrary, they look great together, hence the use of gold decoration on some of the designs. The wirework designs are created from individual lengths which after cutting are shaped, forged, polished and then soldered using silver solder, then finished with the final polish. All her work is highly polished although a "matte satin" finish is sometimes used or a combination of both, this can be done to the customers requirements. Each piece weighing over 7.78g is then hallmarked (this is a legal requirement for sterling silver) at the Birmingham Assay Office.         People often ask how best to clean silver, there are many products available but the simple use of warm soapy water will suffice on a regular basis or the use of a good quality silver cloth which is impregnated with cleaning agents and will keep your silver looking at its best. Ideally store silver in an air tight bag as this will prevent oxidisation (tarnishing) over a long period of time and take a minute to store pieces individually to prevent scratches. Another question frequently asked is if it is ok to swim or bathe wearing silver jewellery, the answer to this is yes and in fact as mentioned before warm soapy water will help to keep it clean and even a swimming pool, hot bath, or a salty ocean will not harm the silver. With minimal care your jewellery will look as good as new! info@silverjewellery.net