About

Silver is an ancient metal, with a varied and illustrious past. The elemental symbol is Ag, from the Latin word ‘Argentum’ "� meaning white or shining. Discovered sometime around 4000 BCE, silver was first mined in order to make objects of beauty and value.

In the 11th and 12th century, in what we now call the British Isles, silver pennies were printed with a small star. A penny like this was called a steorling (most likely pronounced "sterling"�) in Old English, meaning "coin with star."� These steorlings were made up of 92.5% pure silver, with an alloy of 7.5% copper, just like sterling silver today.

Silver pennies weren’t always sterling, though; Henry II of England established this standard because those inclined to dishonesty would trim the edges of the softer pure silver pennies and keep the small pieces for later. Sterling silver, still a beautiful precious metal, was slightly more durable and discouraged this shifty habit.

Sterling is no longer used to make coins, but many recognized the advantage of a precious metal that was both beautiful and durable: two traits that are ideal in a favorite piece of jewelry.

Artist

Designer Midori Ferris Wayne became a jeweler in part because of a passion for antique jewelry. While she was an employee of the Ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern Art department at a Boston museum, Ferris-Wayne became fascinated with the jewelry of those civilizations. She began creating custom pieces using broken or unwearable vintage jewelry, and ever since has made it her mission to create new and artful designs form reclaimed materials and ideas.

Midori Ferris-Wayne creates her earthy, organic designs in her studio in Sonoma County, California, overlooking rolling hills of vineyards and apple orchards.

Details

• handmade with reclaimed sterling silver
• approx. 2mm band
• TLC for your sterling silver jewelry