Sizing

Most ORFÈVRE pieces are one-offs. From the detailed product description you can see the sizes in which each piece is available. Should you require a different size, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to see if we can customize the piece of jewelry for you. Please note, that customized pieces can not be returned.

Finger

If you have decided on an ORFÈVRE ring and do not know your correct  size yet, you can order our RING SIZING KIT. and the costs for this will be credited to you with your next purchase.
Every hand is different, so there are a few points to keep these points in mind when defining your ring size:

• Our rings are sized according to the European ring size chart.
• Due to the temperature difference in the summer months to the winter months or when traveling, fingers may expand. This should be considered when choosing the right ring size.
• The ring sizes are usually different on the left and right hand.
• On hands where the knuckle is slightly thicker than the base of the finger, the ring should fit over the knuckle with very light pressure.
• For hands where the base of the finger is thicker than the knuckle, the ring should only fit on the base with very light pressure.
• The ideal ring sits on the finger with some slack and still feels secure.
• Thin rings are slightly larger, so choose one size smaller.
• Wide rings are slightly smaller, so choose 1 to 2 sizes larger.

If you are unsure or have questions about sizing, please do not hesitate to contact us: info@orfevre.de

Wrist

If you have decided on an ORFÈVRE bracelet and do not know your size yet, you can quickly find out by for yourself at home. To do this, do the following:

For bracelets, please measure the thickest part of the transition from arm to hand. To do this, you take a thread and put it around your wrist without tension. Mark the two points where the thread crosses. Measure the space between the two marks with a ruler. Add 1-2 cm to this number, depending on how loose you want the bracelet to be.

For bangles, take a strip of paper about 6 cm wide and wrap it around the thickest part of your hand. Mark the two points where the stripe crosses. Now hold the strip in a circle so that the two marks cross and measure the diameter. If you want your bangle to be a little looser, add 1 cm to this number.

If you are unsure or have questions about sizing, please do not hesitate to contact us: info@orfevre.de

Neck

If you have decided on an ORFÈVRE necklace and do not know what length you want, you can quickly measure it at home. To do this, do the following:

Take a heavy thread or a different chain and hold it around your neck with two hands until you find the length you like. Now place the thread/chain on a ruler and read off the number. If it is an in-between size from our offered sizes, then try out with the thread/chain whether you like the longer or the shorter version better. If none of them fits, please contact us info@orfevre.de.

Ear

Every ear jewelery fits every ear. For large earrings, we have developed a special support to make them sit better.

Materials

Gold

Specific weight 19.3 g/cm³
Melting point 1064.18°C
Mohs hardness 2.5-3
Element symbol Au from Aurum (lat.)

Gold is the only yellow metal in the world. Pure gold is called fine gold. Many pieces of jewelry at ORFÈVRE are made of fine gold.  It requires a lot of know-how to make jewelry from fine gold. Other peculiarities of gold are that neither humid air, nor heat or acid can harm gold to it. It/the metal is ideal for wearing on the skin. White gold, yellow gold, rose gold and red gold are alloys. That means, fine gold is alloyed with palladium, silver and copper, for example. The common alloys at ORFÈVRE are: 900/1000 gold and 750/1000 gold.

Silver

Specific weight 8.96 g/cm³
Melting point 961°C
Mohs hardness 2.5-3
Element symbol Ag from Argentum (lat.)

Silver is a shiny white metal that reflects light more than any other metal. It is a millennia-old jewelry material that is elementally found in nature. It is 20 times more abundant in the earth’s crust than gold and about 700 times rarer than copper.
The name for pure silver is fine silver. Sometimes it is alloyed with copper to change its appearance. 925/1000 or 935/1000 are common alloys. Silver oxidizes with oxygen or hydrogen sulfide, both fundamental gases of our atmosphere, and develops a superficial yellowish-brown discoloration. This special feature is utilized in blackened silver.

Platinum

Specific weight 21.45 g/cm³
Melting point 1768.3 °C
Mohs hardness 3.5
Element symbol Pt of platinum (lat.)

Platinum is a very heavy, gray-white metal with remarkable corrosion resistance. It is very malleable and ductile. Its hypoallergenic property makes it suitable for particularly sensitive jewelry wearers. The dignified metal is found in many countries of the world. Next to platinum in the periodic table are its secondary metals, some of which have similar properties and are also processed into jewelry; rhodium, for example, is used to refine white gold alloys because of its white color.  Other platinum by-metals are:  Palladium, Ruthenium, Iridium and Osmium. 
The name platinum (in Latin platinum) is derived from the Spanish word “platina”, as a diminutive of “plata” for silver.

Tantalum

Specific weight 16.6 g/cm³
Melting point 3020°C
Mohs hardness 6.5
Element symbol Ta of tantalum (greek)

Tantalum is a little-known, dark, purple-gray, steel-hard, heavy metal. Its specific gravity of 16.6 g is equivalent to that of 18 kt gold. Its percentage in the earth’s crust is only 0.0002%, making it similar to gold. Just these two metals — placed next to each other – exert a peculiar fascination.  Because of its special attributes during processing and its extremely high melting point, tantalum has not been processed much into jewelry. This gives tantalum a renewing role in current jewelry design and brings a refreshing accent to our visual habits.

Copper

Specific weight 8.96 g/cm³
Melting point 1,085°C
Mohs hardness 2.5-3
Element symbol Cu from Cuprum (lat.)

Copper is the only red metal on earth. 
It is a very soft metal, which can be deformed very well.  Over time, the copper surface oxidizes in the air to form a dark brown, dull protective layer. This is caused by the interaction of carbon dioxide and oxygen in a humid environment. Copper is often found as an alloying partner in metals.

Hafnium

Specific weight 13.31 g/cm³
Melting point 2233°C
Mohs hardness 5.5
Element symbol Hf of hafnium (lat.)

Hafnium is a dark, greenish-silvery, lustrous, high-density heavy metal.
It is named after the Latin name of the city of Copenhagen, Hafnia, where the element was discovered. Due to its difficult extraction, hafnium is only used in small amounts. Its main area of ​​application is therefore nuclear technology.
Hafnium is very unknown and rare in jewelry making because of its extremely difficult processing methods. Since it does not react with oxygen in the air, it is particularly suitable for jewelry as it does not discolour the wearer’s skin.

Elforyn

Elforyn is an innovative ivory substitute which is very similar to natural ivory. The material is produced in Germany and consists of mineral plastics. It is very light and supple.

Jewelry Bronze

Jewelry bronze is an alloy of 60% copper and 10% tin. It has a warm reddish-golden color. When wearing bronze jewelry, care should be taken to keep the jewelry dry. Because when it comes in contact with moisture, the bronze reacts (similar to pure copper) and can discolor the wearer’s skin. Some jewelry designers also use this characteristic as a design feature.

Brass

Brass is an alloy of 50% copper and at least 40% zinc. It has a golden color. When wearing brass jewelry, care should be taken to keep the jewelry dry. Because when it comes in contact with moisture, the brass reacts (similar to pure copper) and can discolor the wearer’s skin. Some jewelry designers also use this characteristic as a design feature.

Gemstones

All gemstones at ORFÈVRE are of natural origin and carefully selected. Each stone is unique and is cut by hand. 
If the exhibiting artists use synthetic gemstones, this will be explicitly mentioned.