Hi Everyone!
Recently I was made aware of some confusion about the labeling of my Italian rosary parts. For years the information I’ve had came directly from the manufacturers or my suppliers, but now I see that for those who specialize in jewelry and not rosaries, the labeling can be a bit confusing.
Here are the basics. Most Italian rosary parts are made from zamak which is a mix of metals including zinc, aluminum, magnesium and copper, but the exact recipe can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. For example, two of my suppliers have mentioned including small amounts of silver either as a “flash” plating or as a part of their general recipe. It seems like every manufacturer does something different and I’ve never paid to have any of my parts tested to see for sure who is doing what. 🙂
The one thing I know for sure is that NONE of my Italian rosary parts are plated with sterling silver or 14k gold. Those precious metals are very, very expensive and would raise the cost substantially. Affordability, durability and variety are what make Italian rosary parts so popular, but sterling silver or 14K gold they are not.
This recent confusion is why I’ve decided to change the wording in my store from silver plate and gold plate (for Italian parts), to silver and gold toned base metal. The parts you’ve loved for years are still the same. It’s just the labeling that is changing.
In the 17 years I’ve been in business I’ve never had this issue come up before, but I think it’s a good idea to make the changes in order to avoid any other confusion in the future. 🙂
As you know, I am currently in the process of retaking pictures, and doing other edits as part of the new store layout, so this change will be a part of that process. I’m not sure how long it will take, but hopefully in the next couple of months or so I can get the website updated.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. OK?
Thank you for your patience during all of this new website and update stuff! It is truly appreciated!
