Recycle that Silver Jewelry

I recycle all the silver scraps that accumulate at my jewelry bench. I heat the metal up and usually cast it into molds that I have created. Sometimes, I run out of forms and still have hot molten metal in the crucible. One option is to pour the metal into a jar of water. The reaction of the cold water and the hot metal is so fun to see. There's a sharp sizzle, like fireworks. And then there's a precious free form of solid metal. No two are ever alike.

Here are some results of a recent melting session. Notice the colors? How could this be silver? Well, sterling silver is 925/1000 parts silver. The other 75/1000 parts is copper. Some of what you see are the copper reactions. Also, silver, like other metals, changes colors based on heat and other factors.

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Here's one that looks like a secret little pod. I added a tiny silver sphere (also recycled silver) and twisted some silver wire to create this ring. After I clean it, it becomes a shiny bright silver color. I add a dark antique patina, to enhance the mystery of the pod and to highlight the details.

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This ring is available for sale in my Etsy shop. There will never again be another one exactly like it. Just like you!