Information and Ordering

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Jewelry Materials and Methods

Our jewelry combines the traditional jewelry metals, sterling silver and gold, with anodized niobium, a fairly recent addition to the jeweler’s palette.  Pearls and semiprecious stone beads add accents to these metals.  Warmth, beauty and malleability have made sterling silver a continual favorite for jewelers over the centuries. The vibrant colors of anodized niobium make it an exciting element of contemporary jewelry.  All of our jewelry is shaped from sheet metal using traditional jewelry working tools.  Casting is not used. 

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Niobium, a rare metal

Niobium is a rare metal with several qualities that make it ideal for innovative jewelry.  It is malleable like the traditional jeweler’s metals, gold and silver.  Niobium’s most appealing quality is its ability to take on vibrant colors.  The colors created by anodizing make niobium an exciting metal to use in the creation of jewelry.  Niobium, when anodized using an electrolyte solution and electricity, forms a layer of clear niobium oxide.  This layer, depending on the thickness, appears different colors.  The color is a product of the light passing through the clear oxide layer and reflecting back to your eye only specific wavelengths of light.  The oxide layer is inert and will not change in color nor react with the air or your skin.  Psyche uses photo resist to control the areas of color.  Patterns involving three or more colors require accurate alignment of negatives and multiple processes of resist application, curing, exposure, developing and anodizing for each piece.  Niobium cannot be soldered like gold or silver.   Mechanical means are used to connect the metal pieces together.  Niobium, once known as columbium, is currently more than twice as expensive as silver.

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Care of our Jewelry

As with any piece of jewelry, care should be taken to avoid denting or scratching your pieces.  Keeping your pieces clean will insure their best appearance.  Natural body oils do eventually darken silver.  This can add to the warmth of a piece of jewelry.  If you want to return the silver to its original appearance, you can use a soft jewelers polishing cloth available at any jewelry store.  Do not use this cloth on the colored niobium.  Niobium will have the best appearance without oils on it.  Cleaning with a household cleaner like “Fantastik”, sprayed on, then rinsed with water, and then patted dry will remove oils and return the original appearance of the niobium colors if they appear dull.  It is always a good idea to carefully store your jewelry when not worn, to avoid scratching it against gritty surfaces or other pieces of jewelry. 

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Purchasing Information

To request a price quotation by email, please send a list of the desired items.  Be sure to include the catalog number, style (color), and quantity.  We will promptly respond by email with a price and delivery quotation for your approval.

o        Wholesale orders only.

o        Minimum order $250.

o        New accounts, Prepay or COD.

o        Established accounts, net 30 days with references.

o        Shipping UPS or other by prearrangement.

If you are not satisfied with all or part of your order, you may return the items within one week for a refund.  Please notify me of the specific problem before returning any items.

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Contact Me

I can be reached by email at psyche@psychespangler.com

I will be glad to send you price and delivery information as well as answer any questions you may have about my jewelry.

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Last revised: 1/23/07

 

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Psyche Spangler Original Jewelry

Email us at psyche@psychespangler.com

© Psyche Spangler 2007