What is Tibetan Silver?

Friday, March 26, 2010

Tibetan silver beads and charms are widely sold on the Internet. Many people believe it to contain real silver, sadly this is simply not true and can in some cases be dangerous.

Tibetan silver used to contain up to 30% of real silver about a decade or so ago, but due to an influx of Chinese cheap imports the real Tibetan silver no longer seems to exist, or if it does it is extremely hard to find.
Tibetan silver to most jewellery makers now just means a silver coloured metal.

Today's Tibetan Silver beads are similar to Pewter, they are in most cases a base iron casting, overlaid with a pewter type metal (copper and tin or nickel) and silver plating.

Chinese Tibetan silver beads should be avoided at all costs as most if not all contain Lead and in a few cases even arsenic has been found. Many of you will know how dangerous Lead is, especially for children and Pregnant ladies and I'm sure you all know that Arsenic is a powerful poison.
Not something I would want to give to a friend or family member of mine.
When buying beads or jewellery containing Tibetan Silver ask the seller questions (good honest sellers will not mind) and if you are still unsure then walk away and buy somewhere else. It is not worth putting yours and your friends and family's health at risk for the sake of a pretty bracelet.

At Deelights-jewellery we do use Tibetan Silver beads because they have the silver look and do not fade or wear as silver plate does, and of course they are a lot less expensive than Sterling Silver. We buy all our Tibetan Silver beads from reputable sellers, none come from China. All the beads we use are safe and legal.