(or, Why you should buy from Snob Appeal Jewelry)
When it comes to wire-wrapped jewelry it’s not all equal. There are a lot of wire-wrappers out there, but a few of us are far more skillful than others.
The discriminating patron of wire jewelry will look for certain things:
APPEARANCE “Is the wrapping neat, clean, and meticulous?” First-rate wire jewelry emerges from quality materials, with a neat and precise finish, and a distinctive look that enhances and protects the stone. Every piece is different in appearance and style and the artist’s talent shows through. I personally strive to a perfect standard. I like to keep my precious metal scratch free and each piece looks different although there are certain “signature” elements that separate my jewelry from others’.
WIRE “Is only the finest wire available used?” I use exclusively 14/20 gold fill. It is double gold filled. Most other artists use single gold fill. Some artists use 12 karat gold fill wire, or even 10 karat gold, which is not even considered gold! I refuse to use substandard wire in my products. For silver wire-wrapped pieces, I use exclusively Argentium Sterling. Most other wire artists use .925 Sterling whereas Argentium is .970 Sterling and is tarnish resistant. Minimum care and cleaning is required when using Argentium. Argentium is very expensive as compared with common Sterling, but again our customers deserve the best. You can find cheaper jewelry, but you will not find better quality jewelry than ours.
GEMSTONES: “Is it the finest quality cabochon you have ever seen?” Unlike many wire jewelry artists that go to major gem shows and purchase imported cabochons for use in their jewelry, I cut my own gemstones. I can select the best rough rock and cut out the finest parts of each slab. (I can then sell the leftovers to other wire artists!) My specialty is the rare and unusual. By purchasing old rock collections over the years I have been able to acquire a great deal of material no longer available. One of my pet peeves is when an artist claims their product is “one of a kind” simply because each particular cabochon may have a different pattern. When I say “one of a kind” I mean you will never find this or a similar product elsewhere. I know the history and background of my cabochons and can explain about any of my gemstones if asked. Some favorites I like to collect are the Michigan stones, Greenstone, Datolite, UP Thomsonite, and Lake Superior Agates, as well as Crazy Lace agate, and Victoria Stone.
PRODUCTION “Does the finished product look even slightly amateurish?” I refuse to compromise in my product. Many wire artists consider themselves superior in what they do, but place it next to a piece of our quality jewelry: you will never look like you are wearing second-rate jewelry with my products. I know my jewelry is equivalent to the best available.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS “Was your prized piece created by a highly trained jewelry professional?” Be wary when an artist says something like they are “self taught”, “learned from a video”, or have some other vague answer. Ideally, they will proudly tell you what school they attended or where they apprenticed. You can also check out the artist’s website to learn about the artist and their product and if the website is sloppy or shoddy that should give you a warning also. I welcome you to visit my pendant section.