Tips for Choosing Handcrafted Artisan Jewelry

At some point you will be introduced to the art of handcrafted artisan jewelry and when that happens, you will amazed how often you will recognize it on others.  It’s like the new word that you learn the meaning of, the one that suddenly appears on every page you read from that moment on?  You can spend an entire life looking at jewelry without ever really noticing it and then someone explains to you the nature of handcrafting, how the artisan creates each design individually, often inspired by nature or a cultural tradition.  You’ll realize that there’s a difference between factory made jewelry and jewelry that’s made by hand and you’ll realize that there’s a world of difference between “crafted” jewelry and handcrafted jewelry.  It’s one thing to buy beads and wire at your local craft store to put together a crystal bracelet, and an entirely different thing to use sterling silver to create a unique clasp, to set a semi-precious stone in a sterling setting.  Tips for choosing handcrafted?  Look for balance and proportion in the design, look for sturdiness in the clasp and check for imperfections in the featured materials to be sure you are receiving quality work done by a master.