Useful Information on Silver Jewelry

Since silver is a very versatile metal for jewelry, the range of silver jewelry designs and pieces in the market today is quite amazing.  Silver jewelry is one of the best ways to express your own sense of style and character, and is a very cost effective way to add life and spice to your outfits.  For example, a sterling silver pendant on a simple silver chain is a beautiful fashion accessory that is sure to garner you attention and compliments.  Today, and for many decades now, silver jewelry has been high on the popularity list for jewelry fans.  Sterling silver earrings, bracelets, rings and pins can be worn with formal and casual outfits.  One of the main reasons for this popularity is that many jewelry fans are not comfortable with yellow gold.  It sometimes comes off as being gaudy and pretentious.  Silver on the other hand has a much more sober and subdued color.  And if the existing variety of silver jewelry is not sufficient to satisfy every taste, designers are constantly working to achieve new and improved variations of this beautiful metal.  The most common look for this metal is a clean, moderately to highly polished surface.  Sometimes, the surface is preferentially oxidized to create a more exotic look.  This is accomplished by using a chemical agent.  The result is that the piece has the look for an antique.  For those who prefer less shine, you can also find matte finish silver jewelry at your online or local jeweler.

When buying silver jewelry, you will often come across the phrase “sterling silver”, and it is important to understand what this means.  Natural, pure silver is a soft metal.  It is also quite reactive with atmospheric oxygen and moisture and is readily tarnished by these materials.  In order to improve its quality, it is mixed with other metals to create an alloy that is more workable, durable and practical for fine and fashion jewelry.  The term sterling implies that the alloy contains no less than ninety two point five percent silver.  In most cases, the remainder if copper.  It is for this reason that most sterling silver jewelry will be stamped or embossed and stamped with the numbers nine, two and five.  This stamp is usually placed in an inconspicuous place on the piece of jewelry.  For a sterling pendant, the stamp may be on the back of the setting, or on the bale of the pendant.  In a freshwater pearl bracelet, the stamp will usually be found on the clasp.  Look for this stamp to be sure that you are getting the quality of silver that you pay for.  As always, buy your jewelry from a reputable local or online dealer.