Are you familiar with silver metal clay?  Silver metal clay contains small particles of silver mixed with a binder.  The artist forms the clay into the design she wants.  She sculpts it and carves it creating this sleek silver insect.  

Next the clay pendant dries, then sanded and fired in a hot kiln.  The silver clay particles meld into solid silver called ‘fine’ silver. ‘Fine’ silver,made of 99% silver, does not tarnish as rapidly as Sterling Silver.  The patina goes on the silver pendant with buffing the last stage.