Jewelry Information about our products 

What is Black Hills Gold jewelry:

Many customers might believe the the name Black Hills Gold jewelry denotes a certain type of mined gold, it actually refers to the design of the  jewelry and is made of sterling silver and usually 10k gold. Black Hills Gold features grape leaves, grape clusters and grape vines in a tri-color motif of green, rose and yellow gold. The distinctive green and rose golds are created by adding silver and copper alloys, respectively, to yellow gold.  By federal mandate, this style of jewelry must be manufactured in the Black Hills of South Dakota in order to carry the name Black Hills Gold Jewelry.

According to legend, a French goldsmith named Henri LeBeau became lost during the gold rush days of the middle 1870"s in the Black Hills of South Dakota and fell asleep believing he was dying of thirst and starvation. During a dream, he saw a mountain stream with grape vines growing on its banks.  Upon awakening, he walked over a rise and found the stream and grape vines just as he had in his dream.  Out of gratitude, dedicated his life and talents to creating jewelry in the shapes of grape clusters and leaves fashioned in rose, green and yellow gold.  Today, a series of 40 different steps are necessary to capture the same dramatic detail in traditional and contemporary Black Hills Gold designs found in our collection.

Black Hills Gold  of today starts out built from legend, however, the continued popularity  has inspired creative innovation.  In addition to traditional designs, contemporary  collections have been created for the styles of today.  Black Hills Gold Jewelry manufactured in sterling silver, gold with gemstones,opal, onyx, diamonds,etc.  Rings, watches, necklaces / pendants, bracelets, earrings, lockets and more. This jewelry "Black Hills Gold" denotes a certain type of mined gold, which actually refers to the design, it features grape leaves, grape clusters and grape vines in a tri-color motif of green, rose and yellow gold. The destinctive green and rose golds are created by adding silver and copper alloys, respectively, to yellow gold.

The manufacturer, Black Hills Gold by Coleman is our supplier for this jewelry and we are proud to include it in our collection. You can visit their website www.blackhillsgoldbycoleman.com  and if you see an item we do not carry we can get it for you.

 They take pride in the fact that their jewelry is not "flashed" with a gold plating. Rather they commit great time to the polishing and buffing stages in order to enhance the natural karat gold sheen that is more appealing. After polishing / buffing stages, each piece of jewelry is meticulously cleaned and coated with a special solution to preserve its beauty.  Finally, precious and semi-precious stones are set as the original design determines. Absolutely no jewelry is released until it has been inspected by artisans specifically trained in in identifying even the most minute imperfection. All our Black Hills Gold jewelry comes with a certificate of authenticity to ensure you it is authentic.

When considering your jewelry requirements Black Hills Gold just might be jewelry to be explored.  It has many treasured pieces  within its collection and truly is fine quality crafted jewelry.

Nicole Barr's Enamel Jewelry Designs

Barr's jewelry is the art of enameling. Her process is a true vitreous enamel used in each jewelry piece which creates a beautiful fusion of fired glass with sterling silver, resulting in a lustrous color that will never change.  This technique was made famous in the 1900's by jewelers like Lalique, Farerge and Tiffany. Each jewelry piece has been hand crafted at every step - from the casting of the sterling silver, to the hand applied and fired enamels to the setting of the fine gemstones.

Barr's enameling Techniques:

Basse Taille - in this technique a pattern is created in the sterling silver before enameling, so that when the enamel is laid over it the pattern shines through the transparent glass. It adds texture and life to the design.

Champleve - A French word for raised field - The artist removes the silver by cutting, hammering or stamping in order to create a depression which will than receive the melted glass, as the enamel is laid in the recessed areas of the silver and built up until i reaches the same height as the remaining silver.

Plique a Jour -  Each beautiful, delicate jewelry piece is translucent and suspended between silver wires without a backing, creating the effect of a stained glass window. Fine gemstones complement the enamel finish.

Nicole Barr's designs are a true example of unique fine quality  crafted jewelry and we are proud to have her jewelry designs in our collection. You can visit Nicole Barr's website at www.nicolebarr.com  - if you see an item there that interest you but we do not carry, tell us and we will try to get it for you.

Maintaining your Jewelry tips:

Sterling silver jewelry like other precious metals, can oxidize with time.  But properly maintained silver jewelry improves with age and develops a lush patina.  Keeping your silver out in the open air for long periods of time can cause it to tarnish.  When not wearing it, make sure to store it to keep tarnish to a minimum.

You can store your sterling silver in an air-tight protective bag made of tarnish proof cloth, or use a plastic zip lock made of mylar or polyethylene.  Never use polyvinyl plastic bags or other plastic that contain sulfur compounds for they can tarnish it.  Do not rub silver with anything other than a felt polishing cloth. Tissue paper or paper towels can cause scratches because of the compounds in them.

Cleaning Sliver, Gold or Gemstone Jewelry:

Clean your silver and gold jewelry with a mild soap and water solution; for more stubborn dirt, use a jewelry cleaner designed for jewelry.  Or you can make your own cleaner by combining -1 tablespoon of dish washing detergent, 1tablespoon of washing soda (sodium carbonate), 1 tablespoon of household ammonia and 3 cups of warm water.  Soak jewelry in the solution for 1 to 10 minutes depending on how heavily tarnished. You can use a baby tooth brush to help (gently clean the jewelry.  Check gemstone jewelry for loose stones and have them repaired by a jeweler if needed.

About our Native American products

Our Native American jewelry is all of the finest quality jewelry and craftmanship using the finest materials and techniques.  Most jewelry is crafted / handmade by Native American artisans - including Navajo, Hopi, Zuni and Pueblo artisans. This jewelry is either signed by them or a certificate of authenticity (or both) is included with each item to ensure you it is authentic.  There are other Native American traditional designs (that are equally breautiful and fine) included in our collection (manufactured crafted / handmade in the Southwest,USA) with the same high standards in materials and techniques.

We are proud to have these products in our collection and know you will enjoy them and find them to be a worthy addition to your collection.