Maria Langer VOTEDmlanger@mastodon.world

Oct 26, 2026, 6:00 PM

I use pre-made niobium ear wires for the copper earrings I make. I used to be able to buy them from my regular #jewelry supplier, Rio Grande, but they stopped selling them. So now I buy from an AZ company called Reactive Metals, which sells metals like niobium and titanium.

https://www.reactivemetals.com/findings

The problem: they have regular business hours (M-F, 8:15-4) and do not have online ordering. I FINALLY remembered to call and place an order today.

Photograph of assembled niobium earwires with a variety of beads. I use the bronze (dark brown) color with a copper bead. I also buy black ones without beads for Keum Boo earrings; I add a 14k gold bead to those. Niobium is a reactive metal and the colors are obtained by various heat and/or chemical processes.