How to Buy Quality Silver Jewelry

If you adore the look and feel of silver jewelry then you probably already realize there's vast selection of jewelry to choose from on the market today. This can make it difficult to know where to shop and what to buy. Whether you're shopping for jewelry online or in a jewelry or department store, there are several things to look for to ensure you're getting a great piece of jewelry.

First, consider the source. Look for jewelry stores online or off-line that offer quality jewelry pieces at an affordable rate. Be sure the store is reputable and offers informative descriptions and accurate photos of the silver jewelry that's being offered. Store clerks or online sales representatives should provide prompt answers to your questions and be willing to help you find that special silver jewelry chain, earrings, pendants or other items for your needs. If shopping online, be sure the company offers secure ordering methods before entering your credit card information.

Know the difference between custom or handmade silver jewelry and manufactured jewelry. Handmade jewelry offers added benefits such as the ability to order your silver chains "by the inch" and the ability to choose the type of clasp you want for necklaces, bracelets or anklets. If you want specialty jewelry, use keywords in the search field online to search for specific types of jewelry, such as "handcrafted Bali jewelry" or "handmade silver herringbone chains."

Sterling Silver Markings

Be sure you're getting a true silver product by looking for the markings of sterling silver. Sterling silver contains 92.5 percent silver, or 925 parts per thousand. Fine silver is 99.9 percent silver, but is also softer and may easily be scratched or damaged. Sterling silver is durable for everyday wear and more affordable. If buying sterling silver with gemstones, make sure the stones are of high quality as well as the silver jewelry itself.

Take Accurate Measurements

If ordering handmade jewelry, be sure to measure properly to ensure you'll get the right size. Handmade jewelry may or may not be refundable because it has been made to your specifications. If you need a silver chain, be sure to measure your neckline properly and allow an extra inch or two for breathing room. There's nothing worse than receiving a beautiful necklace that's too tight! Also take appropriate measurements for silver rings, bracelets, cufflinks and anklets.

Accessorize Before You Buy

Learn to imagine what the jewelry will look like when wearing it with certain outfits or colors. Try to find silver jewelry that will go well with several outfits so you can get more wear out of your jewelry items. You can buy a silver chain and wear several different silver pendants with the same chain depending on your mood for the day or the type of outfit you're wearing.

Buy silver rings, earrings and even hair barrettes to match your chains to complete your ensemble. Look for silver jewelry that expresses your personality, whether bold, shy or colorful! Do you go for the daring look or a more traditional style? Silver jewelry comes in so many styles that it's easy to find exactly what you need.

Silver jewelry also makes a wonderful gift for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries or any gift occasion. Beautiful handmade silver jewelry is something you might want to consider as a gift or collectible jewelry that you can pass on as a family heirloom. Whether buying for yourself or that special someone, use these tips to find high quality silver jewelry today.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.
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How to Test If Your Sterling Silver Jewelry is Real Or Fake

Sterling silver has been gaining tremendous popularity as a metal that is widely used for the creation of a variety of items like flatware, jewelry, and other common items. This is simply because of the fact that the sterling alloy offers great looks to any type of jewelry designed using it. Genuine silver has been found to be of soft nature that cannot be used alone for creation of any hard kind of substance. Therefore, it is important to make sure that silver is mixed with more durable metals like copper or nickel to provide it with sufficient durability.

In order to qualify as a sterling silver alloy there should be 9.25 pure silver within the alloy composition. Rest 0.075 should come from non-silver metals that provide sufficient strength to the alloy. Another formation that is extensively used in the creation of jewelry is the overlay of silver on top of a base metal.

This is basically silver plating of the jewelry that allows coating of silver on the jewelry. However, the serious drawback is that silver plating will be worn away with continuous use. Therefore, after a certain period of time the lesser quality metal will be visible in the jewelry. There is a need to identify real sterling silver using its authentication mark, which proves that the alloy is not fake. This authentication mark is crafted into the alloy with wordings such as sterling 925 or S/S.

In case of jewelry, this marking can be easily spotted on the clasp or the underside of the utensils. For all those jewelry where the marking is absent, there is a big chance that there is absence of genuine silver in them. Another important way through which you can test whether your sterling silver jewelry is real or fake is by observing the coloring of the jewelry in a close manner.

It has been found that genuine silver is less shiny and much more cooler in tone than actual silver. In case there are areas on the jewelry, where the silver metal has been worn out then it is a surety that the item is not sterling silver. Another way of determining genuine nature of the silver jewelry is to make sure that you use a light-colored cloth for rubbing the item. In case of black marks in the cloth, it is guaranteed that the item is sterling silver.

The main reason for this is the fact that silver oxidizes and tarnishes when it is exposed to air. When you rub the jewelry using cloth then this tarnish is rubbed on to it thereby proving that it is sterling silver. The best method is to take the sterling silver jewelry to a reputed jewelry store and get the item tested for its purity.

Nitric acid is mainly used for testing purposes. This is because nitric acid is a strong industrial chemical that will make sure to discolor non-silver materials due to high copper content in them. Once the nitric acid is applied, it tends to leave a permanent green spot thereby proving the fact that the jewelry is genuine or not. It is therefore important to make sure that the substance is applied on the jewelry in a non-copious spot.

Let's Recap What We've Learned in this Article:
1) Rub your silver jewelry using a clean cloth. If the item leaves black marks in it, the item is sterling silver.

2) Nitric acid is the best solution to test silver jewelry. Once applied, it leaves a permanent green mark to prove if the jewelry is real or fake.

Sterling Silver Jewelry is essential to any collection. Enjoy it!

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Sterling Silver Jewelry Care

Man has known about the metal silver and has used it since as far back as 3000 B.C. Pure silver is a metal element with Shiny white metallic luster and it is very malleable and ductile. To a certain extent it is also a scarce and costly metal though not as much in comparison to gold and platinum. Pure silver is the very best conductor of heat and electricity amongst all metals.

The symbol Ag has been derived from the Latin word Argentum which means silver. The name silver itself comes from from the Old English Anglo-Saxon word 'seolfor' meaning silver.

Silver has an atomic number of 47, occupies period 5, group 11 and block d in the periodic table and is classified as a transition metal.

Silver ore occurs in nature in native form and the metal also occurs in ores of copper, copper-nickel, gold, lead and lead-zinc. It is found in Canada, Mexico, Peru, Australia and the USA.

Pure silver does not react with air or water but reacts with hydrogen sulphide, Ozone and air containing sulphur which causes it to tarnish. The classic example of this occurs when boiled egg is handed out in a silver dish. Boiled egg releases hydrogen sulphide gas and tarnishes the dish.

Silver compounds find numerous uses in photography, printed circuits, dental compounds, brazing, electrical contacts, batteries and superior mirror production. Silver fulminate is used as an explosive.

Pure silver which is also called fine silver is very tender and jewelry items and other articles made of pure silver would not retain their shapes. In order to overcome this difficulty, a tiny quantity of another metal is combined with pure silver to lend the desired hardness to the alloy. Though many other metals can make up the remaining non-silver part, long term experience has proven copper to be the ideal choice which improves the hardness and durability of the alloy without affecting its color or luster. The alloy so acquired is called sterling silver.

Sterling silver is greatly valued for producing jewelry and tableware. It has many other ornamental uses and it is also widely used in coinage.

Copper-silver alloy containing 72% silver and 28% copper known for its thermal conductivity finds industrial uses in electronics.

Sterling silver has a very special characteristic in sound resonance. For this reason, some brasswind instruments producers create musical instruments out of this metal. Leading saxophone manufacturers like Selmer, P.Mauriat, and Yanagisawa, have created some of their saxophones made from sterling silver and they believe that the instruments will become more resonant in sound performance.

It has been stipulated by FTC, The US Federal Trade Commission that jewelry in the United States can bear silver markings or be described as silver, solid silver, sterling silver, sterling, or with the abbreviation Steronly if it contains at least 92.5 percent pure silver.

The minimum silver content can also be declared as 925 parts per thousand of pure silver, so you might see the figures 925 or 92.5 used to specify silver content.

Under federal law, the marking must be accompanied by a maker's mark or registered trademark.

Sterling silver is a very well-liked medium amongst people for crafting jewelry and can be used to make all kinds of jewelry, from earrings to bracelets to rings, necklaces and pendants. Its popularity may be based on the fact that the elegance of sterling silver jewelry is comparable to other precious metals while at the same time its price remains in the affordable range.

Sterling silver appears flawlessly shiny & white when it is new. But, it might lose some of its sparkle and become dirtier and darker with passage of time. Although pure silver is unyielding to tarnish and does not react with air or moisture, it might react with hydrogen sulphide or sulphur in ambient air causing it to tarnish. Moreover the copper content readily reacts with air causing a coat of tarnish on its surface.

To minimize scratches and other damage, store your sterling silver jewelry in tarnish prevention cloths or bags. The treated cloth slows down the tarnishing process and keeps the jewelry from rubbing against harder jewelry that might scratch it. Keep your sterling silver jewelry in a cool, dry place.

Do not let your silver to come near household chemical substances like bleaching agents or ammonia. The chlorine in the chlorinated water of your swimming pool can also harm silver.

An important thing to do is to wipe sterling silver jewelry with a clean polishing cloth after you have worn them. This will get the dust, dirt and sweat out of the nooks and corners of the jewelry.

Polishing cloths are a good choice for cleaning your sterling silver jewelry. Steer clear of using toothpaste to clean sterling silver, toothpaste is abrasive and can leave marks on your jewelry.

Care should be taken to prevent the build up of tarnish overtime with regular wearing and frequent cleaning. To clean your silver, use polishes formulated specifically to remove tarnish. Tarnish is most effortlessly removed when it first becomes noticeable.

With steady long term use sterling silver jewelry often develops a beautiful patina, a kind of glow mixed with darkened areas. If you happen to like this look you can keep it as it is. Or else, you can use a polish cloth to restore the jewelry to its original appearance.

With regular care and some safeguards your silver will last you a lifetime.

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