Phil Downs:

How does a HandmadeArtJewelry.com customer know that they are getting authentic Barbara Garwood jewelry?

Barbara Garwood:

On every piece, there’s my mark.  You can find my mark by looking near the clasp or on the center back of the pendant or in the earrings at the bottom.  There’s a flattened little disk, and on it, it has a B with the G is coming out of the B.  Right next to it, it says 925.  So, you know you’re getting sterling.  And that’s the official mark on my jewelry.

Phil Downs:

Is the jewelry heavy?

Barbara Garwood:

Sometimes we get asked that question because some of my pieces are so big.  But actually, no it is not heavy at all.  The filigree is done in like lace and is all sterling silver, so it’s a very lightweight type of manufacture.  And we can get big pieces without getting too much weight in there, because it’s not gold.  Gold’s a lot heavier than sterling silver.  So, it’s great to have some bigger-looking pieces with not too much weight. 

Phil Downs:

How do you recommend taking care of your jewelry so that it stays looking fantastic over time?

Barbara Garwood:

Traditionally, we have always given away a plastic bag when we sell them at the shows.  We ask to keep it in the plastic bag, like a Ziploc bag, and push the air out of it, because the air is what causes the sterling silver to oxidize.  Just keep it in the bag when you’re not wearing it.  Also, if you have lotions and perfumes on your body, I recommend that you rinse the jewelry off, air dry it, and put it back in the plastic bag, and it should stay bright indefinitely.

Phil Downs:

Many of your pieces are gold-plated.  Do you recommend any different care with the gold-plated pieces?

Barbara Garwood:

No, it would be the same way, and actually the gold-plating really retards the changing of the sterling silver, so they last a lot longer just naturally, even if you left them out sitting in the air.

Phil Downs:

You have a wonderful variety of colors and styles in gemstones and beads with your jewelry.  Can you tell us about them?

Barbara Garwood:

Sure.  Many of my beads I’ve had made by hand in Nepal and they are Czechoslovakian glass or they’re hand-blown glass beads also.  I have some of those made in Indonesia, and recently I have sourced some in Guatemala, which actually have a peyote stitch on the end and that connects to the magnet, and the magnets are real convenient for easy on and off.  Some of my gemstones come from Peru, particularly the chrysocolla and the serpentine.  I have a lot of jaspers, like Sumatra jasper and Indian jasper, they come from Asia also.  And then the garnets are from Mozambique, Africa.  My amethysts are from South Africa, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil and the peridot comes from China.  My lapis is from Afghanistan and my rhodocrosite is from Argentina.  So, that just gives you a sampling of some of the areas of the world these pieces come from.

Phil Downs:

Thank you so much, Barbara. 

Barbara Garwood:

You’re welcome.