Independent jewelry artisans are shifting to brass from sterling silver because of price. Some types of brasses are also referred to as bronzes. The one year price averages of precious metals to draw a numbers comparison is-- Silver, as a commodity, costs around $12 USD per ounce; in comparison, the two common metals in brass cost less than $0.10 USD per ounce. Brass can be easily manipulated into different shapes, textures, densities, and colors. Despite, the great savings and flexibility that brass allows the metal still has problems with tarnish and wear. I recommend that any brass jewelry be coated with polyurethane or clear nail polish.
 
The most common brass used in jewelry contains 85% copper 15% zinc. Also known as Tombac, this combination is popular for imitating gold. The necklace pictured from Novica is a good example of how polished brass resembles gold.

In this economy, have you considered switching to brass jewelry?   

Tags: Jewelry PR