Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by mass of silver and usually 7.5% by mass of copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925. The sterling alloy originated in continental Europe and was being used for commerce as early as the 12th century in the area that is now northern Germany. William Henry uses the latest state-of-the-art casting equipment to create mesmerizing pieces that are often considered par with our hand-carved work.
Carnelian is a beautiful brownish-red mineral which has ben used as a semi-precious gemstone for thousands of years. Carnelian was recovered from Bronze Age Minoan layers at Knossos on Crete in a form that demonstrated its use in decorative arts - This use dates to approximately 1800 BC. Carnelian was also used widely during Roman times to make engraved gems for signet or seal rings for imprinting a seal with wax on correspondence or other important documents (hot wax does not stick to carnelian).
William Henry uses Carnelian as an inlay or decorative gemstone on several of our collections.
