Thai Karen Hill Tribe Silver of the purest quality; 97 to 99% silver content (compared to 925 which is only 92.5%) - each piece lovingly handcrafted by the silversmiths of the Karen Hill Tribes of Thailand. Once the piece has been assembled it is given an antiqued finish through an oxidation process (darkening the silver for coloration) in which the design is submerged or sprayed with bleach (chlorine) which on contact darkens the silver. Once it has been oxidized the piece is left in the sun to dry for several days to ensure that the piece is completely dried and then lightly srcubbed with corn husk until the desired antiqued effect is acquired. The whole process is done by hand or primitive (if any) machinery - from the actual mining itself to the creation of these lovely pieces. This is NOT the bright and shiny 925 silver which has other metals added to it to brighten and harden it - this is HANDCRAFTED, almost PURE, UNADULARATED SILVER. Thai Hill Tribe silver is BULKY and ethnic/tribal in general - do not purchase if you are looking for something fine and dainty. These designs are collectors pieces as the traditional methods are giving way to the exploitation by large conglomerates who have built factories to mass produce Thai silver products. They are COMPLETELY HANDMADE, not the COMMERCIALLY, MASS-PRODUCED, FACTORY-MADE Thai Silver which has become available of late - they were acquired DIRECTLY from the village silversmiths in Chiang Mai, and as such VERY EXCLUSIVE and VERY UNIQUE. By purchasing Hill Tribe HANDCRAFTED SILVER, not only are you purchasing a product that is exclusive and individually unique, you are also buying ethically and your purchase goes a long way towards supporting the impoverished Karen Hill Tribes and ensuring the continuation of a traditional craft that has existed for centuries and in danger of being overwhelmed by modern commerce. Plain and simple, your purchase helps to provide job opportunities for the youth of the Hill Tribes, allowing them to remain in their villages, earning enough to ensure their survival and the continuance of these skilled master silversmiths | 
