[Jewelry making - Article 00191] - Re: [Orchid] Sterling

[Dave Sebaste]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========



    Hi Al, 

    I think Peter makes a valid point: "there may be a difference
    between the historical meaning of the term, which certainly does
    specify the copper content, and the legal requirement that the base
    metal MUST be copper and no other." 

    Let's check with the "experts"... 

    Oppi Untract (a European), in _Jewelry Concepts and Technology_, p.
    44, in a paragraph describing British hallmarking: "Sterling silver
    must contain 925/1000 parts silver; and Brittania, 958.4/1000 parts
    silver, the rest usually being copper." There's an awful lot of
    wiggle room between "must be" and "usually be." 

    Finegold & Seitz, in _Silversmithing_, p. 14: "In order to be made
    harder and to wear better in general use, silver is frequently
    combined with copper. This makes a binary alloy, a mixture of two
    metals. (A ternary alloy would contain three metals.) When the ratio
    between silver and copper is 925:75 the alloy is called sterling
    silver."  Might support your assertion that the alloying metal must
    be copper to be called sterling, depending on interpretation.
    Certainly opens up the possibility of alloying silver with metals
    other than copper. 

    Interestingly, they also provide an alternate derivation of the word
    sterling, aside from the German based Easterling. "A more plausible
    derivation seems to be the Old English word Steorling - a coin with
    a star - which refers to the small stars that appear on some Norman
    pennies. 

    Rio Grande catalog (yes, an American co.), 2002-2003, p. 35:
    "Sterling silver is the term used to describe silver alloy that
    contains 92.5% and 7.5% copper. Legally, 7.5% of any metal may be
    used, with the product still marked 'sterling.'"  They don't state
    whether it's globally or domestically legal, but I suspect they ship
    goods all over the world. 

    Last, but not least, from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's
    _Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries_,
    Effective April 10, 2001: 

    =A7 23.6 Misrepresentation as to silver content. (b) It is unfair or
    deceptive to mark, describe, or otherwise represent all or part of an
    industry product as "silver," "solid silver," "Sterling Silver,"
    "Sterling," or the abbreviation "Ster." unless it is at least
    925/1,000ths pure silver. 

    URL: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/guides/jewel-gd.htm 

    Of course, this just governs us silly Americans (what do we know?),
    but again, nothing specifies what the other 75/1,000ths must be. 

    I've checked several other (non-American) resources, too, and none
    of my research turns up anything that states specifically that the
    alloying metal *must* be copper in order to use the term sterling.
    The overwhelming evidence I find is that the degree of fineness
    (.925) is the determining factor, with no stipulation as to the metal
    with which the silver must be alloyed. 

    Phase diagrams are well and good, but I don't see how they would
    support your position. If anyone has any documentation that silver
    *must* be alloyed with copper to be deemed "sterling" in the global
    marketplace, I'd love to see it. 

All the best,
Dave

Dave Sebaste
Sebaste Studio and
Carolina Artisans' Gallery
Charlotte, NC (USA)
dave AT sebaste.com
http://www.CarolinaArtisans.com


____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________