How To Buy Silver Jewelry

Queen of all metals, silver is gleaming and exquisite, cool to the eye and sensuous to the touch. Silver jewelry is a classic gift that remains close to any woman's heart. Men also hold this metal in high regard and see it as a gift of distinction.

A soft white lustrous metal, silver is a malleable and plentiful metal which costs less than other precious metals, but tarnishes easily and frequently requires care and cleaning. 

Silver can be easily damaged so it is commonly combined with different types of metal to produce a stronger, more durable product. The most popular and commonly used metal alloy is sterling silver, which consists of 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper.

Although any metal can make up the 7.5 percent non-silver portion of sterling, it has been determined over the years that copper mesh’s best with silver, improving the it's hardness and durability without affecting its beautiful color.

The small amounts of copper that are being added to the sterling silver minutely affect the metal's actual value. Generally, the price of a silver item is primarily affected by the actual labor involved in the making of the item, the intricacy of the design and the skill of the craftsman making the item.

Sterling silver is most often used for jewelry and household accessories because of its combination of beauty and durability. Acceptable quality marks for sterling silver include:
•    sterling
•    sterling silver
•    ster
•    .925

Most jewelers can easily resize a non-gemstone silver ring, plus or minus two sizes. However, resizing a silver ring with a gemstone can be difficult due to silver's properties when heated.

It is highly recommended to buy silver covered in gold because gold is a stronger more durable metal and will keep its color and shine longer than silver.

Care

With the proper care, your fine silver will last you a lifetime. To minimize the scratching or any other damage to the metal, remember to store your silver jewelry either in a cloth pouch or in a separate compartment in your jewelry box when it is not being worn. Try to avoid exposing your silver to household cleansers and chemicals or when swimming in chlorinated water, as these can damage your silver jewelry.

Care should also be taken to prevent silver tarnish build-up, a dulling that naturally occurs when silver reacts with sulfur or hydrogen sulfide in the ambient air. To clean your silver, use polishes formulated specifically to remove tarnish. You can find fine silver polishes, solutions, or cloths appropriate to remove tarnish at most hardware stores or specialty craft stores. Tarnish is most easily removed when it first becomes visible.
Although wearing your silver jewelry often is the best way to prevent tarnish from building up, regular cleanings of all your silver items will prevent tarnish and keep your silver bright and sparkling.

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