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Silver
Silver has been known and used for
thousands of years and was believed to
have magical properties which could
promote healing and bring good luck.
In ancient times, silver was used for
jewelry, ornaments, utensils, and as a
substance that could be bartered for
other goods and services.
This
belief that silver had an underlying
"value" led eventually to its use as the
basis for monetary systems such as that
of the Roman Empire and as a means of
paying for international trade.
The discovery during the 18th and 19th
centuries of large silver deposits in
the New World, however, resulted in the
conversion of most monetary systems to
the gold standard.
Despite the
loss of its status as the basis for the
world's monetary systems, the belief in
the value of silver remained.
Until the Industrial Revolution only the
elite were allowed to wear silver
jewelry.
Silver is produced by at least 55
countries. Mexico is the largest
silver producing country, followed by
the United States, Peru, the former
U.S.S.R., Canada, and Australia.
Silver is the most reflective and
affordable of the precious metals.
Its lower price permits bold, innovative
looks. For current spot prices
click here
Marks
Sterling Silver; American - 925; European - 935; French - 800; Russian -
88 or 84. Silver is too soft in its pure
state for use in jewelry, and must be
alloyed with other metals (typically
copper).
 900
silver
Silver containing 90 percent silver and
10 percent copper or other metal.
950 silver (Britannia)
950 Britannia silver contains 95 percent
silver and 5 percent copper or other
metal.
925 Sterling silver
Sterling silver contains 92.5 percent
silver and 7.6 percent copper or other
metal.
What is Sterling Silver?
Silver is a precious metal and much like
gold it is too fine to be made in a 100%
form. To make it durable for
jewelry, pure silver (999 fineness) is
often alloyed with small quantities of
copper (7.5%), thus comes sterling
silver (92.5% or .925).
Copper is
added to strengthen the silver and make
it durable to be use as a decorative or
in fashionable jewelry.
Sterling silver is the standard of
quality for articles containing 92.5%
silver and 7.5% copper.
How to Care for your Sterling Silver
Jewelry
Storing
When storing your sterling silver
jewelry you want to avoid scratching the
jewelry piece and you want to minimize
the oxidation process. It is best
to store your sterling silver jewelry in
an air tight container lined with
something soft. The less air exposed to
will slow the oxidation and the soft
lining with avoid scratches.
Cleaning
Interestingly, wearing your jewelry is a
good way to help keep it in good
condition providing you take some
measure of care while wearing your
jewelry. As with any product its
life span will depend on the care you
give it. These are some helpful
hints on how to look after your silver
jewelry pieces.
1. To maintain the original
condition of your silver jewelry, polish
your pieces regularly using a
non-abrasive cleaning cloth.
2. Soap and water will also help
keep your silver jewelry looking good.
Remember do not dry silver off with
paper towels or tissues, always use a
soft cloth.
3. When you are not wearing your
silver jewelry, store them in a cool,
dry place. Zip-lock bag and
individual cloth pouches are ideal for
this and will help prevent both
tarnishing or scratching by other
pieces.
4. Never immerse your silver
jewelry in chlorine, salt water, mineral
springs, and suntan lotion.
Remember, some household cleaners
contain chlorine bleach, these will
cause discoloration and also loosen the
gemstones.
5. Avoid abrasive cleaners,
detergents and commercial jewelry
cleaners "dips" especially if the pieces
have an oxidized finish. Using
harsh polishing cleaners will alter the
antique look of your silver jewelry.
6. Never use an ultrasonic
cleaner, ammonia or any chemical
solution to clean opaque gemstones, such
as turquoise, malachite, onyx, lapis
lazuli and opals. They are a
porous stone and may absorb chemicals,
which build up inside the stone and
cause discoloration and/or damage. Simply wipe them
gently with a moist cloth until clean.
7. If your silver jewelry piece
contains gemstones or pearls, do not
immerse in water, as this can loosen
some settings. Never use dips or
abrasives cleaners on gemstones.
Interesting Facts
Archaeological evidence shows that
people have been using silver for at
least 5000 years.
Pure silver is the best conductor of
heat and electricity of all known
metals, so it is sometimes used in
making solder, electrical contacts and
printed circuit boards.
Silver is also the best known reflector
of visible light, but silver mirrors
must be given a protective coating to
prevent tarnishing.
Silver has been used to create coins,
although today other metals are
typically used in its place.
High capacity batteries can be made with
silver and zinc and silver and cadmium.
Silver nitrate (AgNO3) is light
sensitive and is used to make
photographic films and papers. Kodak and
Fuji companies are the world’s largest
consumers of silver.
Silver iodide (AgI) is used to seed
clouds to produce rain.
The main producers of silver are the
United States, Mexico and South America.
In 2003, 351 million ounces of silver
were used for industrial application,
over 196 million ounces of silver were
committed to the photographic sector and
266 million ounces were consumed in the
jewelry and silverware markets.
Silver is the best electrical conductor
of all metals, so it is used in many
electrical applications, like
conductors, switches, contacts and
fuses.
The old expression, "born with a silver
spoon in his mouth", is not a reference
to wealth, but to health. In the early
18th century, babies who were fed with
silver spoons were healthier than those
fed with spoons made from other metals.
Silver pacifiers found wide use in
America because of their beneficial
health effects.
Silver has a variety of uses in
pharmaceuticals. Silver
sulfadiazine is the most powerful
compound for burn treatment. It is
used by every hospital in North America
for burn victims, to kill bacteria and
allow the body to heal the burn area.
Joseph Nicephore Niepce created the
first photographic image, by a
camera-like devise in 1813. It was
silver nitrate that made it possible.
Approximately 5,000 color photographs
can be taken using one ounce of silver.
Silver is employed as a bactericide and
algaecide in water purification systems
in hospitals and more recently in
domestic households.
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