Loving silver for all the... right?... reasons

Welcome to my new blog about silver jewelry. Whether it's going to be mainly about modern silver jewelry, traditional Native American silver jewelry, silversmithing, all of these or something else altogether depends on the comments that come in and what I happen to be experiencing as a silver jewelry merchant.

Because, you see, this blog is partly here to provide support for my silver jewelry site. But the reason I opened an online silver jewelry store is because I'm crazy about the stuff. Not the "I wear a different pair of silver earrings every day" kind of crazy; that is merely a symptom of my kind of crazy. Silver jewelry is funny because it brings out a fanaticism that I don't seem to see as often, or to such a pronounced degree, among those who love other kinds of jewelry. Now, this very well could be because of my own bias. But I suspect there are also some other reasons why I run into so many guys who can talk knowledgeably about my squash blossom necklace because it reminds them of pieces their wives have collected over the years (ladies, how many of your interests can your men even name, let alone discuss?). Silver jewelry people are a lot like car people, for instance, or other enthusiasts, in that they share an interest ravenous enough to get them talking to people they wouldn't otherwise look twice at about an item they themselves will never wear (or drive). Surely, there's just something - or some things - special about silver jewelry that can get me chatting with just about anyone, anywhere.

One of the special things about silver jewelry, in my opinion, is its universality. So many different people in different times have created adornment from silver that we don't associate the metal with one particular style. Likewise - or maybe consequently - silver carries rather democratic associations. The first Americans have made spectacular jewelry from silver since before written history; just say the words "silver jewelry" and most people imagine the spectacular work of Native American artisans in New Mexico and Arizona. Just recently I came across a site featuring beautiful narrative pieces that are being produced right now by Inuit silversmiths in Nunavut territory. Eastern silversmithing traditions, with an emphasis on jewelry from Bali and Thailand, caught on in a big way in U.S. popular culture during the 90's. Thai silver exporters continue to drive the market with constantly updated designs, high quality and unbeatable prices. The Viking economy thrived on silver; pieces from Taxco, Mexico have reached an almost iconic status... I'm afraid to continue because I exclude fine metalworkers in still more areas and eras.

Another appeal of silver is, for many of us, because it is a fine metal that is not gold. Much media attention has been focused recently on where our gold comes from, and some consumers are finding the human and/or the environmental costs of the gold industry unacceptable. Gold is of course present in many consumer goods such as electronics, but this is less visible to the end user, so when people choose to vote against gold with their wallets, the conspicuous forms of gold in jewelry get vetoed first. Many see wearing silver jewelry as an antidote to the complex social statements that gold jewelry can make.

And then there are those of us who love silver just because it's beautiful. Against certain skin and hair tones, white metals provide more contrast than gold. Platinum's cost remains far out of most consumers' reach, while "white" gold is also expensive, is an alloy containing base metals that cause some wearers adverse skin reactions, and still brings up the aforementioned social issues. Though silver scratches easily and tarnishes, it also polishes easily and a patina is valued on many pieces.

So those are some of the reasons I can think of to love silver jewelry best of all. What are yours? Please post a comment sharing why you love your silver.

I invite you to check out my own silver collection at www.cruciblespringsjewelry.com . The emphasis is on natural, undyed stones and organic materials in designs that reflect the wilderness of the desert.