An Introduction To The Definition And Etymology Of Sterling

Sterling, Ster-ling (noun): British money; the ‘Pound Sterling' basic monetary unit of the United Kingdom.

Sterling, Ster-ling (adjective): a superlative meaning the ‘Highest in quality”.

Sterling Silver, Ster-ling Sil-ver (noun): A Silver alloy of .925 parts purity to the 1000, with no more than 7.5% copper or nickel used to make objects of art such as sterling silver jewelry.

Although in today's world the Pound ‘Sterling', and ‘Sterling' Silver have two separate meanings they share the same roots, coming from convergent sources related to ancient British currency.

One speculated origin of the word ‘Sterling’ dates from the Middle-English language, circa 1100 to 1500 A.D., and its word for ‘Little star’: ‘Sterrling’. Stars were a regular feature on English silver pennies minted after the Norman conquests of England. The reason behind this was due to the event that the Norman king, William the Conqueror witnessed when crossing the English Channel, on his way to fight Harold the king of England at the battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. Looking to the heavens William saw a shooting star, Haley’s Comet, flash across the sky. This was taken as an omen, and after he won the battle gaining the throne of England the stars became a regular feature on Norman England’s Silver currency.

Another proposed origin for the word ‘Sterling’ comes from ‘Easterling Silver’, which was used to refer to a type of Silver coin used as currency in an area of eastern Germany known as the ‘Easterling’. The area was founded around the consolidation of five towns that engaged in substantial trade with England in the 12th Century, they paid for goods imported from England with a currency made of 925 parts Silver.

The English soon noticed the unwavering durability and value of the German coins renaming them ‘Coins of the Easterlings’. Soon enough by decree of the first ‘Plantagenet’ king, Henry II, the alloy was set as the standard for English currency. The metal refiners of Easterling were expedited to England to start refining the Silver for coin production, where the term ‘Easterling Silver’ was later abbreviated to ‘Sterling Silver’. These first editions of ‘Sterling’ currency are known as the ‘Tealby Pennies’, and were introduced as the English currency by King Henry II in 1158. From this period till the mid 20th Century, although the content and purity wavered, Sterling pennies made from Sterling Silver remained a constant feature in British currency.

As units of currency, the British ‘Pound Sterling’ originated from the weight values of a Troy pound of Silver. The Troy weight system came from what was called the ‘Troy System of Mass’, which dates back to 9th Century France and the city of Troyes under King Charlemagne. Troyes was a major European trading city for precious metal and gemstone dealers in the early Middle Ages.

A Sterling Troy pound, consisting of 12 ounces, equaled 240 sterling pennyweights: a pennyweight was literally the weight of a penny. A pennyweight weighed 24 grains; a grain was the weight of a grain seed from the middle of an ear of barley. Originally the British ‘Pound’, before decimalization, reflecting the Troy weight system, consisted of two hundred and forty ‘Sterling’ silver pennies.

In 1971, the UK currency was converted into the metric system in line with rest of Europe. And although the term ‘Pound Sterling’ is still used to refer to British currency made of gold or paper, it is used in a solely figurative sense.

Today, the Troy ‘Ounce’ enjoys exclusive use as a measurement of weight for precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum, and gems such as opals. And Sterling Silver, while no longer used in circulating currency anywhere in the world, is a respected grade of silver of high purity and hardness used for durable jewelry in daily use.

This article was written by David-John Turner for the Silvershake website, an online retailer of silver jewelry at wholesale prices. Purchase today and get gemstone silver jewelry worth up to $60...Free!

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An Introduction To The Definition And Etymology Of Silver

Ancient Incas believed the Moon to shed tears of it, the Shetland Celts thought the northern lights contained threads of it and the early Pacific islanders of the Southern hemisphere alleged that all the stars in the heavens were composed of it.

Silver, second only to gold as a popular symbol of status and wealth, is one of the most romantic and sought after of all the precious metals captivating mankind with its lustrous beauty from the beginning of time.

Silver has called to man, compelling him to search out its superior properties, to the most distant and treacherous corners of the globe. In return for silver’s riches man elevated the precious metal amongst the heavens, appropriating its qualities to the Gods, Planets, even naming a country after it: Argentina.

Silver, offering the best value of all precious metals, has seen ages come and go. But unlike gold, Silver has gained popularity not just as a item of adornment, but also as man’s best friend, lending its superior strength, malleability and ductility to a thousand and one purposes: Photography, Money, Health, Transport, Communication, Utility…

Silver (Sil-ver) n: A precious metal with the highest thermal and electrical conductivity of all metals used in a variety of purities in the production of jewelry, tableware, photography and coins.

In its purest form this lustrous metal, like gold, is very soft. For this reason Silver is usually alloyed with other metals such as copper, as is the case in sterling silver jewelry, to make it more robust.

• Fine Silver: 99.9% Silver.



• Thai Karen Hill-Tribe Silver: 99.5% Silver.



• Britannia Silver: 95.84% Silver with up to 4.16% copper.



• Mexican Silver: Usually 95% Silver and 5% Copper.



• Sterling Silver Jewelry: 92.5% Silver, with copper making up the remaining 7.5%.

Silver is a chemical element denoted on the periodic table by the symbol ‘Ag’. In etymological terms this symbol is derived from the early Proto-Indo-European language root word ‘Arg'- meaning ‘White’, or ‘To shine’. This root word is found in ancient:

· Greek – Argos.
· Latin – Argentums.
· Celtic – Argent.
· Sanskrit – Arjuna.

The only languages that lacked this root are the Germano-Balto-Slavic languages that used another stem for Silver thought to be based on a river in Lycia, modern day Turkey:

· Slavic – Sirebro.
· Baltic – Silabr.
· Germanic – Silbr.

The Germanic, or Teutonic, word is the root of the Anglo-Saxon branch word of ‘Silver’ used today.

Read The Etymology Of Sterling

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Filigree Sterling Silver Jewelry History – 1000 A.D. To 1900 A.D.

n. Filigree /filligree/:From the Latin ‘Filum’, meaning ‘Thread’, and ‘Granum’ meaning ‘Seed’. Filigree is the art of curling, twisting and plaiting fine pliable threads of precious metals, and uniting them at their points of contact by means of gold or Silver solder.

Introduction

Perfected over millennia, incorporating the ancient techniques and styles of vanished civilizations, Filigree is without a doubt one of the oldest and most beautiful art forms known to man.

Unlike the mass of jewelry produced today Filigree jewelry is totally handcrafted, calling for hours of concentration on the part of its maker. The knowledge behind Filigree’s meticulous creation, passed down from generation to generation, remains a closely guarded secret kept in the hands of lapidary masters stretching from the islands of the Mediterranean sea to the shores of East India.

The Celts And Filigree

After a long absence, Filigree reestablished itself in northern Europe with the Saxons, Britons and Celts who were from an early period extremely skilful in several kinds of jewelry metalwork. In fact, the Celtic jewelry perfected between the 10th and 11th Centuries in Ireland displays more thought in its design and intricate patterns than any other period in Filigree’s history. Two examples are the infamous Tara brooch, a ring fastener with a pin for piercing and holding clothing in place, and the stunning two-handled chalice called the Ardagh cup. Irish Filigree is designed in such a way that one thread can be traced through the entirety of a network of complex coils and knots, the intricate threads appear and disappear without breaking continuity or balance, finishing by being incorporated into the head or tail of a serpent or monster.

The Renaissance & Filigree

The 15th and 16th Centuries marked the dispersion of the somber Middle Ages, and the rise of the Italian ‘Renaissance’, meaning ‘Rebirth’, expressing for the first time the values of the modern world. Artists and artisans of this period found their inspiration in the revival of ancient Greece and Rome, and jewelry became once again an integral part of dress. Solemn religious subjects were gradually replaced by classical and naturalistic themes and Filigree and enameled jewelry combined with faceted gemstones were for the first time united in sculptured pendants, brooches, necklaces and chains.

The 17th To 18th Centuries And Filigree

However, in the 17th Century due to refined methods of faceting gems the emphasis moved once more from precious metals to gemstones, and the diamond became the preferred item for jewelry. The 18th Century brought with it industrial development and mass production. Cheaper materials were utilized, in addition to gold and semi-precious gemstones, including base-metal alloys, paste to make imitation gemstones, steel and cast iron. With these cheaper methods of production jewelry techniques changed their emphasis from the artisans to less skilled mechanical processes of stamping and cutting out patterns and settings. It was during the end of the 19th Century that Peter Carl Faberge, jeweler to the Russian Tsars, reintroduced an exacting craftsmanship into jewelry design. Similar to the artisan jewelers of the Renaissance, Faberge specialized in the contrast of colors and materials, and his most original designs are those that combine gold Filigree, and colored gems such as alexandrite named after the Tsar Alexander on his birthday in 1830.

The 19th Century And Filigree

By the late 19th Century, a counter-culture movement in the decorative arts challenged the austerity of Victorian society. Art Nouveau burst upon Europe and America with a romantic glory of swirling dainty lines. Figures of girls with dreamy expressions and swirling hair, dragonflies and peacocks with iridescent colors and stylized floral themes dominated jewelry. Filigree, enameling and Pliqué A Jour, the pulling of enamel through wire to give it a stained glass look, were used and established jewelers like Louis Comfort Tiffany although continuing to use diamonds and pearls reintroduced classical gemstones like opals and moonstones.

The Edwardian Epoch & Filigree

After the death of Queen Victoria her son, Edward VII, became king of England. In comparison to the austerity of Victorian England Edward’s reign marked a joyous return to elegance in styling, clothing and jewelry. Edwardian jewelry coincided with the Art Nouveau movement, and the delicate Filigree work that could now be fashioned echoed the laces and feathers worn by Edwardian ladies of the period. Diamonds and pearls were worn in profusion, either alone or with colored gemstones. Because of the metal strength of platinum, yellow gold was replaced as the metal of choice for jewelry. Silver and white gold, were used for the first time in Filigree and it was everywhere from brooches, bracelets, earrings, tiaras and beautiful delicate and lacy diamond rings, and with king Edwards love of elegance men's jewelry came into its own.

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Written for SilverShake, an online retailer of filigree jewelry and sterling silver jewelry at wholesale prices. Purchase today and get silver jewelry worth up to $60...Free!

Filigree Sterling Silver Jewelry History 3000 B.C. To 400 A.D.

n. Filigree /filligree/: From the Latin ‘Filum’, meaning ‘Thread’, and ‘Granum’ meaning ‘Seed’. Filigree is the art of curling, twisting and plaiting fine pliable threads of precious metals, and uniting them at their points of contact by means of gold or Silver solder.

Introduction

Perfected over millennia, incorporating the ancient techniques and styles of vanished civilizations, Filigree is without a doubt one of the oldest and most beautiful art forms known to man.

Unlike the mass of jewelry produced today Filigree jewelry is totally handcrafted, calling for hours of concentration on the part of its maker. The knowledge behind Filigree’s meticulous creation, passed down from generation to generation, remains a closely guarded secret kept in the hands of lapidary masters stretching from the islands of the Mediterranean sea to the shores of East India.

The Egyptians And Filigree

Filigree’s intricate lace-like trellises are entwined in mystery. For eons it was believed that Filigree had its roots planted in the classical Greek period 400 years before the birth of Christ. However, in the 1920s archeologists lifted the lid on two of the most significant finds this century, revealing that Filigree was in fact more than 5000 years old.

The first discovery was of a Filigree knife sheath dating from 2600 B.C., found in the royal tomb of the Mesopotamian Queen Pu-Abi. The second was the discovery of several gold and Silver rings with exquisitely formed Filigree shanks dating from 1350 B.C., found in the legendary tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tut-ankh-amun.

The Phoenicians And Filigree

Later discoveries, similar to the Egyptian and Mesopotamian Filigree but dating from 1000 B.C. were found in Phoenicia, present day Lebanon. Archeologists concluded that the seafaring Phoenicians had been influenced by the two cultures through widespread trade in gold and Silver.

The Phoenicians spread their skills throughout the Mediterranean; many settling in southern Italy integrating with the Etruscans, a civilization of the 7th century B.C. dedicated to the arts. The Etruscan artists fused traditional geometric designs with the Phoenician’s oriental influences of floral and figurative designs, refining Filigree to such an extraordinary degree that to this day their designs remain unsurpassed even by modern jewelers.

The Greeks And Filigree

In the eastern Mediterranean the Greeks had been using Filigree techniques since the time of the Trojan wars and were quick to integrate the refined Etruscan style into their jewelry. Necklaces were decorated with Filigree flowers and tassels, hoop earrings with Filigree disks and rosettes. With the conquests of Alexander the Great Greece attained a wealth of gold and Silver booty plundered from the Phoenicians, Egyptians, Persians and Indians. And from 323 B.C., during the Hellenistic period, Greek Filigree became prolific from southern Europe to India influencing craftsmen throughout the massive empire.

The Romans And Filigree

By 133 B.C. Rome had absorbed the entirety of the Greek Empire and its economic wealth. And with the rise of the Roman Empire a new phase of jewelry design was ushered in with the use of colored gemstones. Roman craftsmen applied gold and Silver as settings for emeralds, sapphires, rubies, peridots, garnets and pearls. However, Roman jewelers, in order to emphasize the gems rather than their settings preferred plainer geometric shapes to the detailed styles of classical Greek jewelry, and techniques like Filigree and granulation fell out of fashion.

The Byzantines And Filigree

By the 4th Century A.D. the Roman Empire in Europe had fallen into the hands of the barbarian tribes of the Goths and Vandals, the ‘Dark Ages’ ensued and Rome’s art forms were lost. However, the East of the Roman Empire known as the Byzantine Empire became a repository of classical learning, preserving the artistic heritage of the Greek and Roman artisans. The Byzantine Empire was Christian, and rich, this is reflected in the opulent gold and Silver icons, book covers of gospels and panels of reliquaries crafted in the monasteries. The large surfaces of these objects were encrusted with precious stones cut into cabochons and decorated with fine Filigree, granulation, engravings, and enameling techniques known as cloisonné.


Copyright © SilverShake Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Written for SilverShake, an online retailer of filigree jewelry and sterling silver jewelry at wholesale prices. Purchase today and get silver jewelry worth up to $60...Free!