It’s been more than 45 years since Steven Lagos founded his namesake Lagos fine jewelry brand. Skull and bone rings come in silver, turquois and black agate. “It is fine jewelry with an attitude,” Steven Lagos said. “We are excited to launch this unique collection with our longtime partners at Lagos. The name of the collection is inspired by the 1968 Grateful Dead album “Anthem of The Sun,” celebrated for its collage-like editing approach of disparate live and studio performances. In this collection he uses matte ceramic styles paired with 18k gold to offer a rich color palette inspired by natural elements. “It’s great to see men showcasing their style and personality more through jewelry these days,” said Jennifer Jones, Bloomingdale’s senior VP and general merchandise manager. No doubt taking note of the trend toward men’s jewelry in recent years, the company just introduced “Lagos for Men.” The debut collection is named “Anthem,” and the company says it reflects the personal ethos of Steven Lagos, who also serves as creative director of the Philadelphia-based company. Two-tone yellow earrings range from a dagger drop style to a diamond cross and a medieval stud. The diversity of the collection can easily be seen. For example, a matte ceramic bracelet framed with Caviar beads comes in four colors. These materials are combined “for an understated yet powerful statement,” Steven Lagos says. Anthem consists of bold styles in sterling silver, 18k gold and ceramic, with many options so these new customers to the Lagos brand can express their personal style. Amulets and chains feature roman-inspired icons, a lucky rabbit design reflects a fierce tenacity while an understated skull motif is only visible up close. In all that time, the company, known for its caviar beaded designs, never created a men’s collection. As with nearly all of its collections, Lagos for Men features the unique craftsmanship of Caviar with the addition of what Steven Lagos describes as “rock ‘n’ roll details inspired by iconic motifs.” Chunky textures mix with whimsical elements. “There seems to be more freedom in fashion right now, as we’ve seen an increase in men purchasing our existing collections. Steven Lagos is constantly updating his iconic Caviar design.

Silversmithing is not that hard.

If the word silversmithing intimidates you, get ready to get excited! I recently had a discussion with our Facebook friends about what we wish someone had told us when we first started making silver jewelry. When you’re ready for more, try this sawing and soldering tutorial to make my flower ring! Hint: It’s not like filing your nails! The hardest part about filing for me was remembering which direction to move the file. Start with a 2/0 saw blade for best all-around use, and move on to a 4/0 once you get the hang of it. Silversmithing is not that hard. Later, a 6/0 saw blade is best for intricate silversmithing work. Lube your saw blade with Burlife, beeswax, or Gemlube and strive for a steady rhythm with a fluid sawing motion. Many silver jewelry-making projects won’t even require all five steps. What do I wish I had known years ago? The better you get at sawing, the less filing you’ll have to do. A good silversmithing teacher will tell you that the keys to successful metal sawing are to have a good saw with the best blades you can afford and to master an effective sawing technique. Don’t go back and forth-file only in one direction: away from you. Thanks to a great teacher, I learned to do it quickly, and soon you’ll see that you can do it, too. It’s not an extremely difficult process for only the most advanced jewelers, using scary jewelry-making tools. There are basically only five steps from the design in your mind to the ring on your finger-or whatever piece of jewelry you want to make. By breaking silversmithing down into manageable steps and learning them one by one, I realized that creating custom silver jewelry is an achievable (and extremely fun) process.

1 files are large-tooth files that will rapidly remove the most metal in the least amount of time.

Files are generally flat or half-round, and they are sized by number; the higher the number of the file, the finer the cut it will make. After soldering, you’ll probably have to file some more, sand a bit, and clean off any firescale that the pickle left behind. Master each of these steps and beyond with our most popular, most essential metal jewelry making resources, below. The more you work with a torch, the more comfortable you’ll get with it and soldering. You’ll learn to tell the difference between an oxidizing (hissing), reducing (full yellow), and neutral (yellow-tipped) flame; how to move the flame at just the right speed and just the right height as you pass over your silver jewelry piece to heat it; how much flux to use to adequately protect your piece but not make a mess of your fire brick; just the right spot to place your bits of solder and what it looks like when it melts and when it flows; and how to determine the temperature of your metal by the appearance of the flux. Silversmithing hammers are available with just about any texture you can imagine, to create any effect you desire. 1 files are large-tooth files that will rapidly remove the most metal in the least amount of time. 2 file; it’s a good, almost-all-purpose, medium-tooth file. 6 files. Clean metal bits from files after use with a file card. Naturally, this is a simplified version of silversmithing-but it makes sense, right? Practice the hammering, texturing, and other metal-forming aspects of silversmithing on less expensive metals such as copper and then move onto silver when you’re familiar with what effect each hammer creates. You can also buff out small imperfections. Whether you add patina to your silver jewelry designs with liver of sulfur or through some other means, this optional step can create an antiqued look, enhance texture and details in your designs, and completely change the look of shiny white silver to dark. The next step in finishing your silver jewelry is to use rouge and a buffing wheel to polish the silver to a smooth, perfect shine. Dapping blocks are like molds that help you turn flat pieces of metal into domed pieces of metal-that’s simple enough, right? It can also highlight flaws, so you have to make sure that any finishing techniques are done before you apply patina. Learn more about filing. If your sawed piece has a very irregular or flawed edge, these are the files you’ll want to start with to fix it. A rawhide or plastic mallet can bend and form metal into just about any shape you like, around a ring, bracelet, or neck mandrel-or any curved surface hard enough to receive the blows. Depending on what you’re making, you might add more texture to your silver jewelry designs at this point. And now that you’ve seen that making silver jewelry isn’t a scary, impossible undertaking, you’re ready to make some silver jewelry of your own.

The use of bracelets has been documented as early as 5000 BCE. Moreover, the reasonable price range does not affect the fashion jewelry piece’s unique appeal, finesse and attractiveness. The Latin American culture is known to use Azabache bracelets to protect people against the evil eye. Additionally, this alloy renders stronger and shinier bracelets than pure silver. Previously made of bones, stones and wood, they served religious and spiritual purposes. Affordability: Sterling silver‘s affordability, as compared to pure silver, gold and platinum, makes it a sought after accessory option. Versatility: The best part about sterling silver is that it can be worn to enhance all types of outfits for all occasions. These bracelets can be found in the form of simple bands or the more decorative stone-embellished ones. Huge variety: Sterling silver is very popular with fashion designers. Gold and platinum prove to be worthwhile investments for traditional festivities but for parties with friends and family get-togethers, sterling silver is ideal. One can buy a bracelet for every attire. The high demand for sterling silver bracelets is due to the fact that they can lend subtle untold nuances to one’s personality and create an aura or sense of enigma. One needs to carefully select the right source that offers high quality products at reasonable rates. Fashion legends, Due to its mass appeal, a large number of manufacturers have come up with innovative styles and designs. The online market in abuzz with sterling silver bracelets. Safety: For neighborhoods where safety is a major concern, sterling silver jewelry is the best option. Even pure silver bracelets can attract thefts. Sterling silver bracelets have gained prominence as compared to other metals because of the elegance they lend to the wearer’s personality. Make sure that you select your sterling silver accessories from an online reputed jewelry store that offers variety and quality. Sterling silver offers greater scope to mix and match clothes and accessories. Celebrity’s choice: Sterling silver bracelets are popular among celebrities and fashion icons. However, now, bracelets are more popularly used as fashion accessories.

There are many reasons why sterling silver jewelry is so popular these days. While wholesale sterling silver jewelry is extremely reasonable, oftentimes, it tarnishes even though it is a pure silver ornament. At the end, always buy wholesale sterling trinkets from a trusted online source like this jeweler. These bracelets do not cost you much and are available in amazingly beautiful shapes and sizes. There are various distributors and retailers that sale authentic sterling silver jewelry. If you want to buy wholesale sterling silvery ornaments, then you need to search online for some good and reputed manufactures that specialize in trinkets. If you consider buying your silver jewelry item from one such online resource, you will have to pay fewer amounts as compared to the market price. Another good reason for its popularity is that this sort of trinket looks very attractive. But you need to make sure that you are buying real silver. Silver jewelry can be easily afforded and hence you can choose to have a vast range of types and designs in your wardrobe. The latest trend of the New Year is the charm bracelet. The best way for finding high quality sterling silver at reasonable price is to opt for online vendors who deal in wholesale sterling ornaments. First of all, it compliments anything you wear. Also, seek expert advice when buying wholesale. What’s more, if you buy a sterling – This Web page – silver jewelry that also contains gems then you must ensure that only authenticated gems are added into your piece of ornament and these are not replicated gems. Charm bracelets look fashionable and elegant. However, if you intend to purchase such jewelry items online then buy only wholesale sterling ornaments that are marked with the number 925. Also, make sure that you are purchasing a silver of supreme quality. For polishing, you can find top quality silver polish from the market. Sterling silver jewelry is always been popular among women who love to adorn themselves with different type of jewelries and feel proud in flaunting them with style. Though, price may vary depending upon size and weight of a sterling ornament. These wholesale Sterling Silver Jewellery pieces can prove to be a wonderful gift for those who love. Remember that amongst many determining factors price is one the most important thing to consider while obtaining sterling jewelry. A particular design will also increase the price of your wholesale sterling silver jewelry item, for example, wholesale anklets jewelry. Also, while buying wholesale beads jewelry you must pay keen attention at settings and stones that are used in the jewelry piece. So, to maintain its shine you need to do the proper cleaning and polishing of your sterling silver jewelry on a regular basis. Second, it comes cheap as compared to gold items especially when you buy wholesale sterling silver ornaments. Then, you must bear in mind that silver jewelry items are highly affordable and inexpensive ornaments that you can purchase at wholesale prices.