Filigree is an ancient technique.  Many cultures have their own version of it. including Russia, Asia, Scandinavia, Italy, Africa, Middle East, India, and even Mexico and South America.  Artists traditionally use silver for their filigree work, although a few use what is called "German silver" a less-expensive nickel silver alloy.  Still others use gold, mainly those artists in Africa and Italy.  I like to use sterling silver frame work with fine silver filigree wire inside. The filigree you will see in these pages are mainly a version of Yemen filigree.  I make the filigree wire in the same manor Yemen jewelry artists have done for hundreds of years, by hand using two wooden blocks to push the wire and twist it.  Long lengths of wire are twisted over and over until I achieve the right small size, and I really mean small,  I then run it through a rolling mill to flatten the wire to .25mm thick.  Only then is it ready to become jewelry.