Skillfully executed design and the supple qualities of sterling silver fuse to create this attractive pair of earrings, ideal for an impulsive, just-because gift. Ploy Intha has an unbreakable spirit, battling countless difficulties to fulfill her dream as a silversmith. Intha describes the intricate process: An alloy, made of silver, copper or nickel and charcoal is molten in the forge and poured into a terracotta container. It is then hammered and stretched into strings with hammers and pliers and cut to smaller pieces. These pieces are then attached and soldered together into the desired shape. The dangling little beads are shaped by hand. The pair is washed into a tamarind solution. Then it is washed with water before being polished with a cloth. 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper (The charcoal is added to the molten alloy to prevent solid dross from forming when the mixture is poured out.)
Language: English
