Description:

I have found a great source for purchasing and recycling metal.

I have purchase good product at affordable pricing from them. They have a huge array of products, in most of the popular metals used by jewelry artisans today.

If you want to check out their site you can see for yourself. Go to;

http://www.riogrande.com

I requested their catalogs, and they sent me 3 enormous ones full of everything imaginable.

To quote what it says on their main page "Rio Grande—your online source for innovative jewelry-making products, great service and technical know-how. Whether you are just starting out or are a seasoned professional jeweler, metalsmith or artisan, we share your passion."

They have everything from metals, metal clay, findings, gemstomes, tools, packaging, displays, books, dvds, glass, beads and enamal.

Their learning center is fantastic, they offer tips and tricks. They also offer classes, I have not taken one, I'm sure you have to go to them for the classes. It would be nice if they offered them online as well.

Metal product catagories include: Silver, Argentium® Silver, Gold-Filled, Gold, Base Metal, Mokume Gane, and Mokume Gane.

Metal Form Product Catagoires include: Sheet, Wire, Strip, Casting Grain, Solder, Tubing, and Leaf.

In the metal Clay product catagorie they carry, BRONZclay™, COPPRclay™, Gold PMC, Original PMC, PMC+, and PMC3.

I was shocked to find that they carry six prong Snap-Set™ Settings, in both gold fill, and silver. In sizes from 3mm to 8mm.

When I found this website I was so excited that I had to share with everyone about it. it funny though because to write an article here on Jewelry Lessons, it has to be at least 450 words. I'm haveing a hard time comming up with that many words to get this article published. So let me appologize if it seams like I am babbling on, or if this artical seams out of sorts.

For Sterling Square Wire, 20 Ga., Dead Soft 25 foot coil $41.58. This is a great price I'm finding that in most places online you get only 10 feet or less for the same price as Rio Grande's price for 25 feet.

I have also priced 14/20 Gold-Filled Square Wire, 20 Ga., Dead Soft 25 foot coil $76.20. I could not beleive my eyes when I seen the incredable price on this wire.

The pricing I have found for Swarovski Crystal beads was also great. For 5301 series Biocone, Tapered Bead, Color: 04 Crystal, size 4mm, a full gross (pack of 144), $7.50.

Rio Grande’s oval turquoise cabochons are cut from natural material with varying matrix patterns throughout. They offer these striking cabochons in calibrated sizes at competitive prices. Treatment: Matrix may be darkened • Color: Sky blue to blue-green to yellow–green. For an individual Oval size 25 x 18mm, the cost is only $16.00, and the price keeps going down the more you purchase.