Monday

About Silver Jewelry

Scott Kay Sterling Silver Band for Men

SLANE Fenestra Sterling Silver Necklace

Silver is one of the most common metals used in jewelry, not only today, but throughout much of history.  Silver jewelry first appeared as early as 4000 years ago in ancient Turkey, then found popularity in other ancient civilizations such as China and Greece.  A precious metal, silver remains a common component in jewelry for a multitude of reasons including its shiny luster, its malleability, its availability, and its lower cost when compared to gold. But alongside its wonderful properties, silver has its negatives, especially the factors that the metal and its alloys are easily scratched and tarnished.  Pure silver is extremely malleable, so much so, that it will lose its shape  if it is not alloyed with a stronger metal.   In jewelry, there is a fine line in the amount of secondary metal allowed to be used so that the resultant metal is still classified as precious silver but is strong enough to be used in jewelry,  hence the designation “Sterling Silver”.  The U.S.’s Federal Trade Commission stipulates that jewelry cannot be described as silver unless it’s composed of at least .925 silver.  The alloy can then be labeled “ster” or called silver in its description.  Most often pure silver is alloyed with copper.  However, one of the primary reasons that silver tarnishes is due to the copper content.  In the last ten years, jewelers have begun to alloy silver with platinum instead of copper.  This new alloy doesn’t tarnish and has a remarkable luster.  The problem, obviously, is that platinum is a lot more costly than copper.  Silver jewelry is a basic component of any jewelry collection.  Taking a little time to polish and store it appropriately will ensure that its a lasting component.