Sterling Silver earrings
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For the past few centuries, the basic characteristics of silver including its softness, color, and brightness have been recognized and utilized in creating decorative materials. During the old Egyptian civilization, silver was often incorporated in religious beliefs and referred to as the “lunar metal” or white gold. It was called “lunar metal” because its coldness and luminousness is comparable to the reflection of the moon on water. Through the years, silver has been used as a component in creating materials for daily use specifically as table metal for coffee or tea service, cutlery, and trays among others. It has become a symbol for living comfortably or being enormously wealthy.
The history of silver as well as its uses varies from one place to another. When people speak of silver, the first thing that comes to mind is sterling silver. According to silver experts and silver historians, silver was first mined in Turkey around 4000 B.C. During 1200 B.C., the center for mining silver moved to an area that is near Athens. During the height of its production, the silver mines near Athens had produced over one million troy ounces every year. For the first millennium A.D., the most prominent producer of silver was located in Spain, being important to Asian spice trade. Bolivia, Peru, and Mexico had the highest production of silver all over the world from 1500 to 1800 A.D.
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, silver deposits were discovered in Nevada, Colorado as well as in Utah. This discovery had led to a massive explosion of silver production. According to the Silver Institute, the production of silver for the last quarter of 19th century tripled, if not, quadrupled over the average of the first 75 years. Nevada had produced almost 120 million troy ounces of silver per year.
Today, the wide majority of silver is being used in industrial applications from solar energy’s silver paste in crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells to medical use in sulfadiazine in order to treat burn victims. More than 250 million ounces of silver are being used every year for creating silverware and silver jewelry alone. A part of the rich history of silver may be the sterling silver ring, bracelet, locket, earring, or chain that most people are wearing today. Sterling silver jewelry may be found in various forms; however, the most prominent use of sterling silver jewelry is in a silver chain. Most silver chains are made in various styles such as rope, curb, snake, herringbone, Figaro, cable, and box among others. Same craftsman make use of customized styles to make silver necklaces in forms according to a customer’s specifications. Most customized styles of silver necklaces include the figure eight, diamond cut, double rope, rolled anchor, and alternating long- and short-links.
The artistry of sterling silver jewelry is usually evident in the shine or sparkle of a silver ring or earring, which are used in weddings, engagements, or special occasions. Today, the most popular styles or designs in sterling silver jewelry include pentagram, pentacles, Bali designs, Celtic designs, and handcrafted glass bead designs.
