[Jewelry making - Article 00009] - Re: [Orchid] Using bi-metal

[Beth Rosengard]

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Hi Cynthia,

>       The laws are made to protect the consumer from fraud. 

    And the laws are made with mass producers in mind, not with those of
    us who specialize in one-of-a-kind/limited production pieces.  I
    can't agree that the laws should be modified to allow us to list all
    the ingredients in our work.  That would be so terribly unwieldy. 
    Simpler is better, not that I have a good alternative to propose. 
    The kind of jewelry that many of us create just falls through the
    cracks, since the laws weren't made to account for it in the first
    place.  Unfortunately, that doesn't exempt us from them if a
    disgruntled customer wants to get nasty. 

>     Btw - pardon my ignorance here, but, is there a shortened stamp
>     coding to used for fine silver? 

    .999, I believe. 

>     And also, if sterling or nickel silver pin findings are used - is
>     it still allowed to stamp the piece fine silver (or sterling silver
>     - even if a nickel silver pin stem is used)?  As I have understood
>     it, the findings are considered separate entities, aren't they? 

    It depends.  I'm pretty sure this is how it works (and I'm sure
    someone will correct me if I'm wrong :-).  Since a pin stem is not
    soldered to the body of the piece, it is a separate entity, and its
    metal content does not have to be reflected by the stamp on the back
    of the item.  The joint and catch, however *are* soldered to the
    piece, so they become a part of it.  If they're stamped 14K (or
    sterling) like commercial earring posts are, then you're okay.  If
    they're nickel soldered to sterling, for instance, but aren't stamped
    so, then you have a problem if the piece, when melted down and
    assayed, doesn't fall within the legal tolerances for sterling.  And
    likewise for sterling findings soldered to fine silver. 

>     As I understand it, what is clear in America is that if we don't
>     stamp the work with any metal content - then, there is no legal
>     issue. 

    That's true. 

    Beth  

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