Silver: The classic metal . . .
Silver has been used worldwide for centuries to make jewelry, household ornaments, and even currency back in times long forgotten. Sterling silver is great with regards to fashion. It is very easy to wear because of its neutral color. Silver is relatively inexpensive so it allows you to have an assortment of pieces, not to mention it makes an affordable gift.

Silver is a very ductile and malleable metal which means it is fragile, soft, and can be damaged easily. Silver is mixed with another alloy, usually copper, to make it harder and more durable.  Sterling silver, or fine silver, is the best quality of silver because it contains 92.5% silver and only 7.5% copper. Silver is often marked or stamped for quality. They stamp sterling silver to identify that it is high quality.

The stamps most often used are: sterling silver, sterling, and/or 0.925. Silver, like white gold, is often plated with rhodium to improve brilliance and protect from tarnishing. The majority of silver today comes from Canada, Peru, Mexico, and the United States.

Silver scratches quite easily, therefore it is important to store it in a soft pouch and wear it with care. It is important to keep in mind that silver is often plated with rhodium and to re-plate the silver can be very expensive. Wearing silver often helps avoid discoloration of the metal.

Sterling Silver is used in the design of the jewelry known as sterling platinum. To learn about sterling platinum click here.