Metals for Beaded Items
Metals for Beaded Items
Our Metals for Beaded Items include base metal, precious metals, and memory wire.
Metals to Make Beaded Items
Metal Casting
Metal casting is an ancient process that began as early as 3200 B.C. They poured molten metal into a mold. Once hardened, artisans removed the mold. Then they cleaned the excess material and smoothed out any rough edges.
Today, it is the same basic procedure.
Authenticity
Most of our base metal Crucifixes and center medals are die-cast in Italy. Of all the countries in the world, Italy has the longest history of rosary design. Authentic parts have the word Italy in raised letters on the back if the pieces are large enough.
All of our precious metal parts are made in the USA. Sterling Silver pieces are laser-detailed and stamped. We also carry a line of Bronze and Sterling Slver parts that are cast from vintage pieces. They are not stamped.
Nickel Silver
Metal Content
Nickel Silver is a metal alloy containing nickel, copper, and zinc. Although it is a silver colour, it does not contain silver. Metal parts usually have clear detailing. This rugged metal resists tarnishing.
Nickel allergy?
Construction Materials
All the chains we use are nickel-plated brass. We use medium and lightweight pieces of chain on most of our items. Our bulky chain is for our heavy beads.
We use different gauges of nickel silver wire depending on the weight of the beads. The jump rings we use with these components are sturdy nickel-plated brass. If you prefer, you can order any item with nickel wire bows instead of jump rings.
Gold-Tone
Metal Content
A protective coating helps our gold-tone rosaries keep their original shine. We use parts with a protective finish except for one. The wire does not have a coating because we need to bend and shape it.
We use brass wire for our gold-tone rosaries. Brass is a metal alloy composed of copper and zinc. Although it is a gold colour, it does not contain gold.
Bronze
Metal Content
Bronze is a metal alloy primarily made of copper. With age and exposure to air, it naturally darkens to rich, earthy tones.
Our suppliers make bronze Crucifixes and center medals from vintage or discontinued pieces. We usually use connector bows made from wire instead of chain and jump rings. That way, the entire rosary is solid bronze and will age more evenly. Since bronze spacer beads are not readily available, we sometimes use a brass bead at the center of the connector bows. Since they both have copper as a common element, they age evenly.
Sterling Silver
Metal Content
Sterling Silver is a metal alloy made with 92.5% silver (.925 sterling silver) and 7.5% copper. It is nickel-free.
Beads are what we usually notice first in an heirloom rosary. We might assume that they are the most expensive part. Yet, the opposite is true. For example, though beads like Lapis Lazuli are pricey, the metal parts cost more. They are the Sterling Silver Crucifix, the center medal, the wire, and the chain.
Quality
Not all Sterling Silver rosaries are the same.
Some with this label have a Sterling Silver Crucifix and center medal with plated wire and chain. Ours are exclusively Sterling Silver.
A rosary with classic loops uses less wire. Ours are wire-wrapped, which takes more than twice the amount of wire. We prefer this method because it makes the rosary more durable.
Sterling Silver Filled
Metal Content
Sterling Silver Filled wire has an extra thick layer of .925 Sterling Silver bonded to a brass core. It will not flake off like plated material. When you look at the cut ends, there is no visible brass. We have a similar quality sterling silver-filled chain to complement it. It is an affordable alternative to Sterling Silver. We often pair them with a Sterling Silver Crucifix and Center Medal cast from vintage pieces.
Memory Wire
Quality
We use cold-forged heavy-duty memory wire. It will hold its shape better than other similar wires. The loops securing the pendants will stay closed. It is stronger than the ones you can buy in a craft supplies store.
Since it will spring back into its original shape, it is ideal for bracelets. To keep it like new, point fingers and thumb together, and then slide it on. The beads will roll into place as you do this. Avoid unwrapping it around your wrist as it will add stress to the shape.
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CREDITS
The LOGO image of Our Lady of Grace is original artwork by Martin Lariviere in 2009. We have the artist’s permission (my son). It is our exclusive trademark logo image.
A beautifully photographed sky by Donald Tong inspired the website’s colour scheme. Cropped portions of it are the background for the footer Bible verse. He shared it as a free download on pexels.com.
Raphael painted The Sistine Madonna circa (1513-1514). We made circular cut-outs from the original image.
Our information is from general knowledge, experience, and shared internet resources. We’d like you to use it as a starting point for your research to verify facts and build a reference list.