Natalie Lund Owens

  As I approached the end of my corporate career, I sought a creative outlet that would be meaningful and productive. I took my first jewelry class in Leesburg, VA in 2017 and loved everything about it. While smithing requires specific techniques and methods there is also room for creativity and coloring outside the lines. Experimenting was new to me. I'm very much a rule follower and being able to try something that isn't a proven practice is a little intimidating and I continue to struggle with that but continue to evolve.  I like extremes.  To me, a minimalist silver wire bracelet is as enticing as an organic cuff with layers of metal and stones.  I hope you enjoy my jewelry as much as I enjoy making it.

I think every metalsmith has a favorite project. Mine is argentium silver cuffs. I love the organic look and smooth feel of the completed cuff and enjoy the in the moment creativity of creating with fire. I also enjoy working with mixed metals. The contrast of silver, brass and copper presents an opportunity to create unique and interesting pieces.

Silver Alloys

Sterling Silver: 92.5 percent silver alloy. The remaining 7.5 is typically copper, but can sometimes incorporate other metals. The 7.5 percent add to the material’s hardness and durability.  Sterling silver is the most common silver used in jewelry and has been around for thousands of years.

Fine Silver: 99.9 percent silver alloy, the closest metal to the pure element. The remaining .1% is trace alloys, typically copper. It has a bright shine, but is a softer metal due to its purity making it easier to shape, but also easier to scratch or dent. The higher silver content makes it more tarnish resistant than sterling silver and has a bright silvery-white colar. Fine silver can be fused without solder and is typically used in enameling and keum boo (a method of applying thin layers of gold to silver).  Fine silver is more expensive than sterling silver.

Argentium Silver: A fairly new alloy developed in the 1990’s, argentium silver is 92.5 percent silver alloy. The remaining 7.5 percent is copper and germanium. The germanium creates a tougher and more tarnish resistant metal.  Argentium can be fused without the use of solder but can be more difficult to work with as it can crack when red hot. Argentium silver is more expensive than sterling or fine silver.

Base Metals

Base metals are used in a variety of applications. These metals are typically abundant in the earth’s crust and more accessible to mine and process than precious metals like gold and silver. Common base metals are copper, lead, tin, aluminum, nickel and zinc. Alloys of these metals are also base metals such as brass and bronze.