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Sterling silver jewelry is more affordable than platinum or gold. You can find top quality sterling crafted into a variety of styles-and it’s not just affordable-it’s beautiful as well! Sterling silver is a natural material with long lasting appeal, and looks great on its own, or when mixed with gemstones or beads. Sterling silver is 92.5% silver mixed usually with copper which equals the remaining 7.5% of the composition. Silver is sold by weight and there is no such thing as purer silver or better quality silver. All silvers that are 92.5% are the same in quality.
The difference in price from one piece and another that weigh the same amount is the type of work done on it. Usually handmade pieces are more expensive than machine made pieces. They are also more exclusive, a machine made piece is made by the thousands but one handmade piece can never be the same as another.
When the piece includes a stone of some kind the price will also vary according to the price of the stone. When it is only sterling silver the difference in price will come from the way it was manufactured and the details it has. Silver is a very manageable metal and beautiful pieces can be made out of it. Usually a silver piece can be bought by its weight in silver plus a small percentage for labor.
When you buy sterling silver jewelry it is very shiny and smooth. People like that because it shines more than gold or platinum. With time it will begin to lose its shine and tarnish will appear. This is due to the metal alloy added to the silver. When the copper comes in contact with the air and sweat it tends to change color. Many people like to keep their jewelry like that because it gives it an antique look.
Silver must always be wiped with a polishing cloth, not a brush or an abrasive cleaner that will scratch the surface. The occasional use of special silver cleaners is acceptable, but these should not be used often to maintain your piece. These types of cleaners are abrasive, and the shine they leave comes from rubbing of the patina or top layer of silver on your piece.
When sterling silver jewelry is cleaned regularly with a polishing cloth and stored away from the sun and other jewelry that may scratch it; it will remain shiny for a very long time. Abrasive cleaners should only be used in case of an emergency or excessive tarnish.
Sterling silver jewelry must be stored in a cool, dry place in separate pouches. This will prevent them from scratching one another and from being scratched by other jewelry. Taking care of silver jewelry is easy and inexpensive. Proper care will keep them shiny and scratch free for many, many years.
