Store Policies
The ‘Fun’ and ‘Satisfaction’ for me in this enterprise is creating beads, and from them creating pieces of jewelry that complement my beads and the person who chooses that piece. If after purchasing a Bunting Hill Arts piece it does not work for you for any reason you may return it for an exchange or full refund within 30 days of purchase date. After that time please contact me and I will try to work something out.
Instances of lost, damaged or defective items will be handled on an individual basis. E-Mail me and together we will make it right!
Thank you for your continued support of Bunting Hill Arts..and the effort to keep quality handcrafted items available…
About Argentium
Silver is not just silver anymore. The metal now has a new incarnation in the form of Argentium Sterling Silver. This unprecedented, patented material is redefining the jewelry industry. Argentium sterling silver has dramatically better tarnish resistance than standard sterling silver and is much more durable. While it still contains the 92.5% fine silver legally required for sterling, Argentium replaces about 1% of the normal copper content in sterling with germanium, significantly altering the alloy’s properties. This silver alloy has several benefits, it is nearly twice as hard as traditional sterling silver, has a whiter color than standard sterling silver, has a memory to keep its original shape, it does not use chemical treatments normally associated with sterling silver, which makes it environmentally friendly. Argentium Sterling Silver keeps its shine for two years without polishing. The major benefits of Argentium are tarnish resistance, and resistance to dents scratches and abrasions.
A light dusting or occasional wipe with a soft cloth are all you need to keep its shine. The resistance actually increases over time (the germanium atoms migrate to the surface, which allows the protective germanium oxide layer to regenerate).
Some of the world’s leading retailers, including Tiffany and Gucci have already made products with Argentium(TM) Sterling Silver. Renowned silver expert Charles Allenden says, ”Argentium Sterling Silver is the most tarnish-resistant sterling silver that has ever been developed. Extensive testing in independent laboratories have shown that if standard sterling silver tarnishes in two weeks, then Argentium(TM) Sterling Silver will still be tarnish-free after two years. This does not rely on plating or coatings that will degrade or be washed off over time.”
About Niobium
Niobium, a rarely used metal, is relatively new to the family of metals used by artists. Its name is derived from the mythological Greek Goddess Niobe, the daughter of Tantalus.
Niobium (NB) is an element. Its atomic number is 41 and has an atomic weight of 92.9064. The major Niobium producing countries are Brazil, Canada, Nigeria, Zaire and Russia. The United States does not mine Niobium and, therefore, has to import it.
Due to the limited quantities geologists have located in the Earth’s crust, this beautiful metal has a value many times higher than silver. It is not to be confused with its family member Titanium. Monetarily, comparing Titanium to Niobium is like comparing copper to silver.
Niobium was discovered by Charles Hatchett in 1801. Columbium was the name originally given to this element by Hatchet but the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) officially adopted “niobium” as the name for element 41 in 1950 after 100 years of controversy. The property that makes it a jeweler’s pleasure to work with is its ability to create durable, permanent, hypoallergenic, iridescent colors. These colors are brought out in the metal by using a special process called Anodization. Heat is applied precisely, allowing the jeweler to manipulate the molecular structure of the metal. Electric current running through the metal oxidizes, activates and excites the special qualities of the material. The colors you see are pure refracted Interference patterns of light through the varied transparent oxide thickness.
When using this process, we now have the ability to create fine hand crafted jewelry using this vivid beautiful metal. It is particularly suited to contemporary designs and offers a lovely alternative for people with allergic reactions to traditional precious metals.