How can they craft such intricate silver earrings?

Our Miao silver earrings are crafted by hand from beginning to end. The special techniques the Miao use to craft silver earrings have been passed down for centuries. Over 30 steps are involved in the process of making a single pair of silver earrings.

First, silversmiths use an electric tool to melt silver in a bowl called the “silver nest.” They can bring the silver to temperatures over one thousand degrees Celsius.

Then the seething hot silver liquid is poured into an iron slot. There it is allowed to harden into a solid silver bar. They take the bar out of the slot with forceps and hammer it into the needed shape. Some silver earrings are carefully crafted with paper-thin slices, while others need solid, heavy pieces of silver.

Hammering a silver bar

A steel sheet with 60 round and square holes

Paper-thin silver slices

To make silver threads, a steel sheet with 60 round and square holes is used. The size of each hole is different. The silversmith uses a pair of pliers to pull silver through the holes. Instantly, an ideal silver thread is molded.

The edge of a silver slice or thread can have beautiful grain. Just put the slice or thread onto a wooden board, and use another wooden board to rub the surface again and again. Soon the grain will form on the edge.

Pulling silver through the holes of the steel sheet

Silver earrings crafted with such silver slices or threads look more charming and can catch the light in unique ways.

Making the surface of the rosin board softer

Some Miao silver earrings feature beautiful patterns engraved on their surface. Before engraving, the silver pieces need to be fixed onto a rosin board. They’ll heat the black rosin board to make the surface softer, and the silver pieces can be easily fixed on it. The rosin then cools down, and the silver pieces are stuck in the surface.

To engrave the designs, a series of sharp steel sticks are needed. The steel sticks are about 10 cm long with flat, round, or pointed tops. A light hammer, made of the horn of a water buffalo, is used to strike the sticks and make the design.

Engraving the patterns on the silver earring

Each intricate design should be engraved carefully. A slight error may ruin the whole piece of work.  A skillful Miao silversmith needs many years of training and practice. Their elaborate silver earrings are impossible to be copied by any machine.

A pair of finished Miao silver earrings

A pair of Miao sterling silver earrings often has many separate silver pieces linked or welded together. So soldering is an important step.

To remove stains on the silver, the silversmith will put them into phosphoric acid for a while. Soon the silver earrings will become brighter and whiter.

In some Miao areas, customers can ask to have their names engraved on the silver earrings. The silversmith will use an iron stick that has English letters on its tip. He’ll just lightly hammer the iron stick on the silver earrings, and this wish can be fulfilled in a moment.