Tibetan silver
Encyclopedia
Tibetan silver is used primarily in jewellery components, and is similar to pewter
- an alloy of copper
, and sometimes tin
or nickel
, with a small percentage of pure silver
. Its overall appearance is of aged silver, but it can be polished to provide highlights on complex castings. The nickel content is nowadays reduced or absent, due to common allergies to this metal.
Tibet silver used to have a higher silver content a decade or two ago, up to 30% or higher, but cheaper reproductions from Far Eastern factories have diluted the term. The genuine article can only really be got from the metal and silversmiths in situ, some of whom still manage to produce work from their long tradition of gold and silversmithing in this country. The related term 'Nepalese silver', however, seems to have held on to the higher silver content and association with quality metalsmithing.
Currently, jewellery, beads and castings described as 'Tibetan Silver' tends to be a base iron
'cheese metal' casting, overlaid with this pewter and silver plating. Dependent on source, these can be either thick and robust, or attractive but easily broken due to a loose, fragile inner casting. The latter productions are therefore only suitable for small castings up to around 12mm, or transient 'fashion' jewellery with a short lifespan.
Metallurgical testing of twelve items in 2007 offered for sale on eBay as Tibetan Silver indicated that the articles frequently contained no silver whatsoever. Tests also found that high levels of lead and other dangerous metals such as arsenic were present.
Pewter
Pewter is a malleable metal alloy, traditionally 85–99% tin, with the remainder consisting of copper, antimony, bismuth and lead. Copper and antimony act as hardeners while lead is common in the lower grades of pewter, which have a bluish tint. It has a low melting point, around 170–230 °C ,...
- an alloy of copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
, and sometimes tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
or nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
, with a small percentage of pure silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
. Its overall appearance is of aged silver, but it can be polished to provide highlights on complex castings. The nickel content is nowadays reduced or absent, due to common allergies to this metal.
Tibet silver used to have a higher silver content a decade or two ago, up to 30% or higher, but cheaper reproductions from Far Eastern factories have diluted the term. The genuine article can only really be got from the metal and silversmiths in situ, some of whom still manage to produce work from their long tradition of gold and silversmithing in this country. The related term 'Nepalese silver', however, seems to have held on to the higher silver content and association with quality metalsmithing.
Currently, jewellery, beads and castings described as 'Tibetan Silver' tends to be a base iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
'cheese metal' casting, overlaid with this pewter and silver plating. Dependent on source, these can be either thick and robust, or attractive but easily broken due to a loose, fragile inner casting. The latter productions are therefore only suitable for small castings up to around 12mm, or transient 'fashion' jewellery with a short lifespan.
Metallurgical testing of twelve items in 2007 offered for sale on eBay as Tibetan Silver indicated that the articles frequently contained no silver whatsoever. Tests also found that high levels of lead and other dangerous metals such as arsenic were present.