Materials

Argentium Sterling Silver: Ordinary sterling silver is an alloy of 92.5% pure silver (Ag) and 7.5% copper (Cu). The silver I use, however, is a newly developed alloy where a small amount of the element, germanium (Ge), is substituted for the copper. This small change makes the sterling silver highly resistant to tarnish, so each piece should remain bright for a longer period of time and with little polishing necessary. For a more complete look at this new silver, visit the Argentium Silver website.

Gold: Gold-fill is the most affordable way to have durable gold jewelry. A small core of another metal, usually jewelers brass, is surrounded by a federally mandated minimum thickness of the karat gold (usually 12 or 14 kt.). This layer of gold is heat and pressure bonded to the core and will not wear off under normal use. Gold-fill should not be confused with gold-plate, which is a coating of gold only a few microns thick that tends to flake away easily. The gold-fill that I use is 14kt, 1/20th by weight, and is nickel-free.

Jewelry Care

The first step to take if you want your jewelry to continue to sparkle is to clean it regularly. Natural body oil and lotions can take a toll, so periodically scrub your piece with a good dish soap and an old toothbrush. Blot dry with paper towels to prevent water spots.

If a piece seems to need a bit more brightening, try this household recipe: Line a glass dish with aluminum foil and place your jewelry on it. The silver must be in contact with the foil! Sprinkle on equal amounts of washing soda and salt - a tablespoon or two should be sufficient. Washing soda is sodium carbonate, not sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and can be found in your grocery with the laundry detergents. Baking soda can be used, but the reaction takes longer. Pour hot water into the dish to cover the jewelry and swish with a wooden chopstick or spoon. This is particularly important if you are cleaning Argentium sterling, as any metal containing copper can "contaminate" the silver and diminish it's anti-tarnish properties. The piece should sparkle very quickly. Remove, rinse, and dry with a paper towel. To keep your silver and gold jewelry bright, store in a closed, dry space. Any piece can also be buffed with a commercial polishing cloth to restore its shine.

Viking knitting can be fragile! As a chain it will last for many years, but it is crushable or bendable. Small kinks can be gently massaged away, but a hard bend or squashed area is more difficult to repair. If your chain has become damaged, please contact me to see if I can mend it.