Spillage by Robin Cassady-Cain, Sterling silver, enamel, seed pearls and sea bamboo
Oak Leaf Ring by Zoey Perse, Sterling Silver
Pink Polka Dot Ring by Alexis Kostuk, sterling silver, rose gold and pink sapphire
Saturn Ring by Jennifer Trotman, sterling silver, tourmalinated quartz
By Edna Milevsky, 14kt rose gold and pink sapphire
Knot Cherry Blossoms ring by Tomoe Akiba, sterling silver, lab sapphire
Flower Lapis Lazuli ring by Shafiq Sarwari, sterling silver and lapis lazuli
Depletion gilding is a surface treatment accomplished by continually heating sterling silver and placing in an acidic solution called “pickle”. Sterling silver is an alloy of 92.5% fine silver and 7.5% copper. Heating and pickling sterling silver removes copper from the surface of the alloy, allowing the fine silver to show up more prominently. The result is a white satiny finish on the surface of the silver. Depletion gilding lasts longer on sunken/protected areas on jewellery since it can be burnished off of the surface of the metal.
The Poppy brooch by Zoey Perse features depletion gilding in the sunken areas of the petal. The contrast of the satiny white petals against polished silver makes them the focal point of the brooch.
The Orchid necklace by Jamie Rosario is a fully depletion gilded pendant with burnishes edges that accentuate its curvilinear design.
Metal wears over time and rings are the most common pieces of jewellery that need to be
repaired because they are worn the most.
If you notice your ring is much thinner under your finger than the areas in between your fingers, your ring may need to be re-shanked.
This is the process where the thin area of metal is cut out and a thicker piece of metal is soldered
back into place. If a thin ring has cracked it can be soldered back together but a good jeweller
will also suggest re-shanking for a longer lasting solution.
Silver prices have gone up mainly because more people want silver than there is available. It’s no longer used just for jewellery — it’s a key material in solar panels, electric vehicles, computer chips, and modern electronics, all of which are growing fast. Mining silver takes time, and new supply can’t ramp up quickly, so demand is outpacing production. On top of that, when the world feels uncertain due to wars, economic slowdowns, or debt worries, people often turn to precious metals like silver as a safer place to put their money, which pushes prices higher.
Another reason prices are climbing is financial investing. Large investors are buying silver through funds that physically store the metal, which means less silver is available on the open market. When supply is tied up in vaults and exchange inventories are low, prices rise. At the same time, things like a weaker U.S. dollar, expectations of lower interest rates, and fears about inflation make silver more attractive as a way to protect money’s value — adding even more pressure for prices to keep going up.
What this means for handmade jewellery?
When silver spot prices rise sharply, the raw material cost for your pieces goes up too — whether you’re using sterling grain, sheet, wire, or casting grain. Jewellers don’t usually buy metal at old prices indefinitely: suppliers tend to base casting grain & wholesale metal costs on recent spot price averages, so costs rise with the market.
Result:
Because silver is now more expensive, most brands and artisans will either:
That means:
In Canada, this is amplified because the silver price saw record levels in Canadian dollars as well as USD.
Looking for creativity to inspire?
Looking for creative adornment to outshine the blahs?
Looking for the silver linings to shimmer and delight?
Find what you need to reflect the light, at Jewel Envy.
We hope everyone had a good holiday period, and is facing the beginning of 2026 with renewed optimism and enthusiasm! Just a few PSAs: there’s lots of new jewellery in the studio, some of it totally uplifting! Stop in and say hi, and browse – we’d love to see you!
Thinking about taking a class? Just a reminder that we’ve had to put up our class prices for 2026, sadly the increases in metal prices and inflation mean that we need to adjust our classes. It’s not all bad news, though – if you have a gift certificate from 2025, you can book your class in January or February at the 2025 pricing!
Enjoy the wintry weather – we’ve passed the shortest day, so although it’s cold and showy, the daylight is definitely getting longer!
New work by House of Cassady, available in studio now.
Happy Sunday!
My experience at Jewel Envy as a co-op student. I am a Michael Power Saint Joseph high-school student who took co-op and chose to do it at Jewel Envy. Co-op is a course that allows students to go and apply to a placement to do work at instead of doing standard classes. I chose to apply to Jewel Envy, because it seemed like a very clean, polite, and interesting place. As well I was interested in making jewellery, and Jewel Envy makes high quality hand made jewellery. Doing co-op here is an amazing experience, because everyone is so nice, polite, and helpful. I also learned new useful skills such as how to make jewellery, how to take care of the store, and how to take care of jewellery. Learning, especially how jewellery is made is an incredibly fun and interesting experience. In conclusion I really enjoy doing my co-op here and would recommend stopping by the shop.
These are both rings I have learned to make during my co-op time. The first is a phases of the moon ring made using fabrication skills and the second is a snake that wraps around the finger that I carved from wax and then cast into metal. Both are made of sterling silver.
Winter seems to be have landed. I don’t know about you, but I am finding it coooooollllld! Although I am enjoying seeing the sun, so there is that I suppose. In honour of the wintry weather, let these luscious lips warm you up!
finished with sterling silver, made by Pash Jewellery Design (aka Gillian!), they’re so fun, and definitely affordable!
*photo background made using Photoroom
Come visit us in studio and see for yourself!
Happy Sunday.
In the last two weeks before Christmas and we are super busy here in studio, and we’re sure you are too! If you’ve been thinking about gifting one-of-a-kind, we have plenty of beautiful handmade pieces to choose from here in our shop. Whether you want to go extravagant, contemporary, colourful, or minimalist, we’ve got it all at Jewel Envy.
Earrings and necklaces by Gillian Batcher / Pash Jewellery Design
Brooch by Alex Kinsley / Kinsley Vey Designs
Wreath Necklace by Zoey Perse
Sterling silver statement bangles by Jerell Reichart / Urban Metal
Earrings & rings by Eunice Lin
Turquoise earrings & ring by Alexis Kostuk / Glaciale Designs
Butterfly brooches & earrings by Lina Maria Avendano
Necklace, ring, and earrings my Minseo Whee
Necklaces, turquoise ring, and earrings by Jennifer Trotman / Frekkle Designs
That is right, today is our Holiday Party!
DECEMBER 7TH – 5pm to 9pm
151 Marion St, Toronto, Ontario, M6R 1E6, 647-436-6709, info@jewelenvy.ca
We will have nib-ables…
sip-ables…
kid’s do-ables…
And of course! Jewel-ables!
So come and share a smile with the Goldsmith who makes these…
Or these…
Or these…
Or these…
And these…
As we take a moment to let our hammers down and hold up a glass to cheer another year of art and education. See you here!
