Sterling Silver
CHOOSING AND CARING FOR STERLING SILVER JEWELRY
Sterling silver jewelry is more affordable than platinum or gold. You can find top quality sterling crafted into a variety of stylesand its not just affordableits beautiful as well! Silver looks fantastic on it’s own or when mixed with gemstones.
Sterling silver is 92.5% silver mixed usually with copper which equals the remaining 7.5% of the composition. Silver is sold by weight and there is no such thing as purer silver or better quality silver. Siver is .925.5% are the same in quality.
Silver jewelry will change in price from one piece to another based on the weight and the type of work done on it. Handmade silver jewelry is more expensive than machine made silver jewelry. They are also more exclusive, a machine made piece is made by the thousands but one handmade piece can never be the same as another.
When the piece includes a stone of some kind the price will also vary according to the price of the stone. Silver will change in pricing from the way the manufacturer processes it. Silver is a very manageable metal and beautiful pieces can be made out of it. Silver jewelry may be purchased by its weight in silver plus a small percentage for labor.
When you buy sterling silver jewelry and silver jewelry sets it is very shiny and smooth. Silver is much shinier than gold or platinum. With time it will begin to lose its shine and tarnish will appear. This is the result of the metal alloy added to the silver. If the copper comes in contact with air and sweat it will have a tendency to change color. Many people like to keep their jewelry like that because it gives it an antique look.
The best care for your silver jewelry is to use a polishing cloth so you do not accidentally scratch the surface of the jewelry. It is okay to use siler cleaner occasionally but should not be used often in the maintenance of your jewelry. These types of cleaners are abrasive, and the shine they leave comes from rubbing of the patina or top layer of silver on your piece.
When sterling silver jewelry is cleaned regularly with a polishing cloth and stored away from the sun and other jewelry that may scratch it; it will remain shiny for a very long time. It is best not to use abrasive cleaners unless you have alot of tarnish on your jewelry.
Sterling silver jewelry must be stored in a cool, dry place in separate pouches. This will prevent them from scratching one another and from being scratched by other jewelry. Taking care of silver jewelry is easy and inexpensive. With proper care and polishing of your jewelry, you will be able to enjoy it for many, many years.
How to Value Sterling Silver