How can they make such beautiful silver jewels?

True Miao silver necklaces and earrings are completely made by hand. The unique techniques the Miao use to craft silver jewels have been passed down for hundreds of years.

Different types of silver jewels require different skills. However, melting silver is the first and most indispensable step for creating any Miao silver necklace or earring.

Traditionally silver is melted in a stove made of charcoal. But today more and more Miao silversmiths melt silver with an electric tool that can bring it to temperatures over 1,000 degrees Celsius almost instantly.

Step 1: Melting

The scalding hot silver liquid is then poured into an iron groove where it hardens into a solid silver bar. Forceps are used to take the bar out of the groove and it’s hammered into the required shape.

Some silver earrings are crafted with hair-like silver threads, while silver necklaces may need wider and heavier pieces.

Working with miniscule silver threads

Tiny silver threads twisted into intricate patterns are widely used when crafting Miao silver necklaces and even some silver earrings.

Silver threads are made using a steel board with 60 round holes in it. Stepping onto the board, the Miao silversmith uses a pair of pliers to pull pieces of pure silver through the holes. Almost immediately, an ideal silver thread that can be used to make almost any silver necklace is shaped.

Using only pliers and scissors, the Miao silversmith can twist these almost hair-thin threads into flowers, animals, and more for your silver necklaces. This skill requires many years of practice and can only be done by hand.

Crafting silver earrings: the rosin board

Some Miao silver earrings feature elaborate engravings. The small pieces are first fixed onto a rosin board to hold them steady.

So the silversmith heats the black rosin board to soften the surface. The silver pieces are then easily placed in the near-molten rosin. When the rosin cools down and hardens, the silver jewels are stuck in the surface.

He’ll now carefully draw designs with a pencil, and then engrave them with sharp steel sticks. This step requires great patience, and has been perfected over the centuries by the Miao people.

Engraving the design on your silver earrings

The steel sticks are about 10 cm long and have flat, round, or pointed tops. A light hammer made of the horn of a water buffalo is used to strike the sticks and engrave your silver earrings.

After this process, beautiful pictures will appear on the surface the silver earrings. It takes years of practice and a very steady hand to engrave such small details.

A finished Miao silver necklace

Sometimes additional silver pieces are made and soldered onto the chain of Miao silver necklaces. Soldering is very complicated, especially when working with soft, 99% pure silver.

When everything is done, the complete silver necklaces or silver earrings will be put into phosphoric acid to remove excess material and make it brighter and whiter.

Some silver necklaces take weeks of hard work, especially when carving and twisting tiny silver threads. Excellent skill and great patience are both required to be a Miao silversmith.