Beads & Baubles Cafe

In small work shops far removed from urban cultures sterling silver artisans produce these pendants, beads and findings one at a time. It is done by hand using Charcoal fires to produce heat with hand-powered air pumps much like many of the blacksmiths down through the ages. A person can gently bring metals up to their melting temperatures, red hot shaping temperatures, and even do soldering.

These artisans blend copper and silver into a material that often has more silver in it than ordinary sterling silver making it easier to shape into the intricate patterns. Sterling silver must have at least 92.5% silver in it. The Bali items are often made with silver that is 95% silver or more. This helps the artisans do their best work. It also meets or exceeds the quality requirements of every nation.

The silver is then drawn and beaten into sheet and wire. Silver is first smelted into a pencil like shape. Then it can be beaten with hand tools into large diameter wire. That wire can be pulled through plates with holes that squeeze the wire smaller as it is pulled through each smaller hole. From time to time the silver might be reheated to soften it for easier work. Silver does harden quite a bit as you work it.

The wire is finally taken to its final size. It is then is cut to length and pushed and pulled into shapes. Other tiny bits naturally melt into tiny spheres, which are later separated by size. Now we have our pattern parts. Previously it was mentioned that the silver was beaten into sheets. Those sheets are cut and shaped into the overall shape of the pendant. Other sheets are cut and used to make the bezels that hold stones in place. Still more silver sheet can be used to form into the bails for the pendants.

Once all this is made the parts can be soldered together by the artists. Now we get to the true artistry, the ability to form these parts in pleasing patterns that gently echo culture and a universally decorative beautiful style. The parts are arranged on the sheet silver. Tiny bits of silver solder are used to firmly attach or weld the parts into place. Each is heated just enough. Then the pendant can be polished. Finally the gemstones that might be called for in the design are set. Final polishing is done and our Bali pendant is ready for export all over the world to jewelry makers who will make jewelry from them to grace your neck, arms or ears.

Bali beads and findings are done in the same manner, just in a smaller scale. When you see these items in your jewelry, be sure to reflect on the skilled hands that have created these little pieces of art. As you wear the jewelry, you can be comforted by the knowledge that the money you spent on this purchase is going to support true artists in the modern age. This is truly the best of global commerce. Just a note, you will sometimes see “Bali Style” instead of just the word “Bali” to describe the pendant or beads used in a piece of jewelry. It doesn’t mean that they are not artisan created, it just means it was not made in Bali. India is one of the other nations that have artisans that make beautiful pendants and beads, but if the item was made in India then it must say “Bali Style” not “Bali”. The Hill Tribes of Thailand also make very beautiful silver beads and pendants. We will tell you their story in future blog posts.

Here are a few of our pieces with these hand made works of art.

Have you seen the term ”Bali” sterling silver pendants, beads or findings used in descriptions of jewelry? Have you ever wondered why the jeweler found it necessary to point this out?  Well, it is not only to let you know these pieces were made in Bali, it is to let you know that these pieces are a true work of art on their own.  These pieces are beautiful when you look at the whole piece overall. Yet if you look closer you will see they cleverly contain beautiful patterns made of countless tiny parts. Little solid beads, little circles, and runs of shaped wire all provide depth and detail. Some might assume these are commercially cast pieces that are from a master rubber mold or die. If look closely you will see that nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is far more interesting and shows us the best work of artistic people from far away places. Here is a hint for seeing the difference-Look for small variations in the patterns. Those variations are a result of hands at work. Not coldly consistent machinery. Hand made work varies a bit. Machine work is like making coins, all identical.

In the countryside of Bali sterling silver artisans using centuries old methods have learned to produce these pendants  & beads and handed it down generation to generation. Even the method used to manufacture these items make it true handwork. Charcoal is used to produce heat with hand-powered air pumps much like the blacksmiths of the horse and carriage times in the USA. A person can gently bring metals up to their melting temperatures, red hot shaping temperatures, and even do soldering.
These artisans blend copper and silver into a material that often has more silver in it than ordinary sterling silver. Sterling silver must have at least 92.5% silver in it. The Bali style items are often made with silver that is 95% silver or more. This helps the artisans do their best work. It also meets or exceeds the quality requirements of every nation.

In part II we will go into the actual making of the pendant or bead in more detail.

Here are a few pieces we have made with Bali components.