by: Linda Polansky

Wearing silver jewelry is quite fashionable for young people and its white luster bestows a serene elegance on the wearer. You will find exquisite silver jewelry available in the market ranging from beautiful silver charms, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, bangles and watches. It’s much more affordable compared to gold and exudes a shine quite similar to platinum.

Silver has been used to make jewelry right the time of the Phoenician, Byzantine and Egyptian empires. Today, most of the world’s silver comes from the mines of Mexico and Peru.

Pure silver is call fine silver. Since silver in its purest forms is very soft and quite malleable, other metals are mixed, to make it more durable. It’s important to look out for the 925, .925 or Sterling Silver mark, when buying jewelry because these marks ensure that the silver is 92.5% pure. The remaining 7.5 percent of the jewelry is copper. Even though any other metal can be used to make up the 7.5 percent, copper is preferred since it is found to be the most suited alloy to silver as it can improve the metal’s hardness and durability without diminishing it’s white luster.

The 925, .925 or Sterling Silver marks shows that the silver jewelry you are buying is not silver plated and not an imitation made with other white colored metal alloys. At the same time, if you find a mark higher than the recommended 92.5%, avoid buying the piece as it will be too soft. It can’t endure everyday wear and is not worth the money spent.

One thing about silver jewelry is that it develops a tarnish, which occurs quite naturally when it interacts with sulfur or hydrogen in the surrounding air. Tarnish can be removed by using polish specifically formulated to remove tarnish from silver jewelry. Silver polishes, solutions, or cloths required to remove tarnish can be found at local hardware stores or specialty craft stores.

Avoid exposing silver to chemicals such as bleach or ammonia which may happen when you are cleaning your house. When swimming in chlorinated water remove or set aside your silver jewelry, such as earring or chains, before your swim. Such exposures will only damage silver jewelry. It’s best to place your silver jewelry in cloth pouch or in a separate area of you jewelry box. Proper care will ensure that your silver jewelry lasts for a lifetime.

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