Tin and pewter

Tin is a soft, silvery-white metal with a very low melting point. Pewter, an alloy made mostly of tin with small amounts of other metals, is the classic material of mold-cast jewelry: medals, pendants, brooches and buttons.

Properties #

• Pewter composition: about 90-95% tin with antimony and copper; modern pewter is lead-free.
• Melting point: tin melts at about 232 °C; pewter at roughly 170-230 °C.
• Color: dull silvery gray that darkens over time.
• Hardness: soft: it scratches and bends easily.
• Density: about 7.3 g/cm³.

Uses in jewelry #

• Jewelry cast in silicone or vulcanized rubber molds.
• Pendants, brooches, medals and buttons with a medieval or fantasy look.
• Costume-jewelry findings.
• Base for silver or bronze plating.

Pros and cons #

Advantages #

• It melts at low temperature: it can be cast without a jewelry furnace.
• It reproduces fine detail.
• Inexpensive.

Limitations #

• It is soft and not very durable.
• It does not tolerate heat and cannot be soldered with the usual torch.
• Old pewter contained lead: use only lead-free pewter for jewelry.

Care and cleaning #

• Avoid heat and knocks.
• Wipe with a damp soft cloth and dry it.
• To restore shine, use a mild metal polish with little pressure.

See also #

• Bronze
• Silver
• Casting