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BlackHeart Metals Rings Info |
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We make all of our rings by hand, from Sterling Silver, and each is made to order. We take pride in creating the finest designs, and offering you the best workmanship, from our highly skilled master craftsmen. We do not out source any of our work or processes, nor do we purchase finished items and resell them. At your request we will provide you with a price quote for any item you would like to have made in gold.
Soon our illistrations have links that may be used to see a photograph, as well as display any additional information about the ring or item that you select.
How we make your ring:
We use the "Lost Wax" process of casting our rings. We start by making a wax model of the ring you choose, carefully editing it, and cleaning up any imperfections in the wax, then sizing it to fit. The wax model is then encased in plaster, and the wax is burned out. The burn out process takes 6-8 hours, and when it is finished, the casting can take place. We do our casting in a centrifuge, and centrifical force pulls the molten metal ( copper, brass, bronze, silver or gold ) into the open cavity where the wax used to be. Once cooled, the castings are removed from the investment, and cleaned. Next the castings are treated to make the detail show, and then polished by hand. We never tumble polish rings! Before the final polish, we place each ring on a sizing mandrel and assure that it is to the size you ordered. Your ring is then given a final polish, and is cleaned and bagged, ready to be shipped. How to find your ring size:
The simplest method is to go to your local jewelry store and just ask. They will use a set of ring sizers, and in a minute or so, they will tell you what size you need for a proper fit. If you don't have a jeweler in your area, or don't want to bother just poping in to get a ring size and walking out, here is a simple method which almost anyone can do.
Cut a length of paper about 1/4" wide and about 4 inches long. Wrap the paper around the finger you want your ring to fit and pull it snug but not too tight. Mark where the end of the paper overlaps with a pen or pencil. Measure the length of the paper to the mark ( inches or metric ) and write down the size to the closest 1/16" of an inch or 1mm. Be sure to include this measurement with your order in the notes or addtional comments section of the paypal checkout order information. We will ignore whatever the pull down menu says, and use the measurement you provide to size your ring.
Why we don't mark or quality stamp your ring:
The reason we don't stamp or mark Sterling Silver or 14kt gold etc on our products is two fold:
( 1 ) In the USA, the National Gold and Silver Marketing Act does NOT require precious metals to be marked with quality.
Many artists as well as Native American silversmiths rarely trademark or quality mark thier work.
( 2 ) At BlackHeart Metals, we are artists and master craftsmen, who place more importance on our design and craftsmenship than on a quality stamp that can be forged and or copied.
Sterling Silver is very easy to test, by placing a small drop of Nitric Acid on the item in question. Make sure to use a small file to cut into the metal, in a hidden spot, in order to get below any plating or lacquer. If the acid turns green, the item is made of brass, nickel silver, bronze, or a very low quality silver alloy. Sterling Silver will turn the Nitric Acid a creamy color.
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