[Jewelry making - Article 00151] - [Orchid] The Zen of Argentium Sterling silver

[Trevor F]

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    I must admit that the concerns expressed here on Orchid recently
    about the use of Argentium Sterling (AS) have been rather
    disheartening. 

    As much as I can appreciate the fact that getting accustomed to a new
    alloy can take a little time I can't for the life of me understand
    why new users of the metal would criticize it for not being _exactly_
    the same as other metals they have used. After all, why try something
    new if the old one was what you wanted? And if you do try something
    new wouldn't you expect there to be a little transition time and
    effort? 

    For those unfamiliar with my posts here on Orchid, and the blog at my
    site, I'll be up front about this: in my experience Argentium
    Sterling silver is basically god's gift to silver workers. I won't
    reiterate it's benefits here because that's another topic(s) and
    they've been discussed elsewhere. But what I will say is that I have
    found AS to be a truly superior product to work, own and sell and it
    pains me to see people taking shots at it without taking the time to
    get to know it.  It is so unfair, and unnecessary. 

    This is especially true because the Argentium Sterling people have
    gone out of their way to help Orchid members in any way they can.
    They've bent over backwards to give us the information we want and/or
    need to get started with it and they really don't deserve to have
    their product slagged or discredited, especially for reasons that
    often turn out to largely be field reports from the learning curve. 

    It seems to me that if someone came on and said "OMG my white gold
    cracked!", or "why can't I solder platinum with my little butane
    Microtorch?" we'd be pretty quick to tell them to do their research
    and then to work with the metal in order to know what they are doing.
    Argentium Sterling is, and should be, no different. 

    Over and above how much I enjoy working with AS and how much I
    appreciate the fact that this wonderful, and --yes, I'll say it --
    revolutionary metal is available to us and our customers I can't help
    but think that the newcomers to it need to chill out a bit before
    they fly off the handle in fear that they've been somehow hoodwinked
    because AS doesn't behave _exactly_ like the standard sterling that
    they are familiar with. Well, guess what: it behaves a little
    different because IT IS a little different. Not hugely, but a little.
    It behoves the student to learn from their observations rather than to
    criticize their observations for being unfamiliar. 

    Learn those few differences of Argentium Sterling and you'll find
    yourself working with a fantastic alloy that will, I believe, change
    silver working as we've known it.  Make some stuff with it.  Wear that
    stuff yourself for a while.  Experiment. Push.  Discuss.  And above
    all, learn!   Some of us are already well on our way.  What's keeping
    you? 

    If nothing else ask a silver fancying customer if they'd like silver
    jewelry that tarnishes very little, very slowly, if at all and
    they'll probably tell you that they'll take as much of _that_ stuff as
    you can offer them. I know, I've seen it. And if my guess is right
    you will too, one way or the other. 

Cheers,
Trevor F.
in The City of Light
www.touchmetal.com

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