Jewelry | Sterling Silver

November 25, 2009

Essentials of Sterling silver jewelry

There are millions of people, who are fond of wearing jewelry in their every day routine. Most of the people, especially women, do not feel that they are dressed well, unless they are adorned with several pieces. Purchase of the jewellery items like earrings, chains, bracelets and the trendy body jewelry have become day by day fashion accessories for a nominal individual especially sterling silver jewelry. Jewelry is not just limited for women anymore. Men have understood that they like getting fashionable and the popularity of jewelry for men is gaining new position. In the traditional times, most men wore a watch and only a wedding ring. A fashion conscious gentleman may have attained a pair of cuff links, which look quite fantastic. Now a time, men put on bracelets, big rings and even daily earrings.

Most of the people take the jewelry choices, which are limited to the budget of an individual. The rich lustre of gold jewelry and the costing of even a small piece of gold piece can get unaffordable for the average person. It has been fortunate that the popularity of white metals has grown and hence, breaching the door of great chances for jewelry designers, for producing an amazing number of beautiful styles that are now available made with sterling silver. It permits the people with a less budget to bear the cost of jewelry, which is not just gorgeous and stylish, but also affordable.

Silver jewelry is getting in trend for many reasons. The physical properties permit it to be fashioned into an unlimited array of designs from delicate filigree style earrings to attractive, bold chains and bracelets that appeal to men. Silver has a white tone that rivals platinum at a small fraction of the cost. It is the most reflective metal known. Even today it is still used as the backing material in the finest mirrors. It can be given a matte finish or sometimes as sandblasted for a satiny-smooth texture. Sterling silver jewelry can be given a new shape and size or overstated with engraving. It can get colored with enamel paint or their oxidization for giving it a nice appearance. The resourceful silver formulates it as an ideal intermediate for getting any kind of jewelry designing.

Silver accents and compliments the color of many gemstones, such that it is a choice for reasonably priced pendants, earrings or rings, which attributes to a palette of naturally found and synthetic gems. There are a number of natural birth stones, such as peridot, amethyst, garnet are outstandingly included in dazzling silver jewelry designing. The low cost of lab crystals and jewels can make them idealized choice for silver jewelry, featuring imitation of stones like opal, emeralds and man made sapphires.

The features of versatility, attractiveness, ease for care and affordability of silver jewelry make an alternative for platinum or gold items. There are many experienced designers, who have revolutionized the designing and presentation of jewelry. The new inclination of all ages of people to sterling silver jewelry has made silver ornaments as a fashion statement.

Comments (0)

November 21, 2009

Sterling silver jewelry – How to care for each precious piece

Filed under: Sterling Silver — Tags: jewelry, Sterling Silver, sterling silver jewelry — admin @ 12:00 pm

The existence of silver jewelry in the market has changed the way a person views an accessory. Not only does it allow someone to establish his or her own fashion sense, it also benefits the owner as it is wearable in any occasion. Although silver is one of the most ancient metals used by men in the form of pendants, rings and bracelets, it never fails to fascinate people even during this generation.

The advancement of technology, accompanied by the improved process of jewelry designing has been utilized to produce a beautifully carved silver jewelry. However, more often than not, it is its corrosive properties that make the buyers, sellers and manufacturers concerned about the products since it could easily breakdown if not given due care.

How does it corrode?

Any substance which contains hydrogen sulfide can cause silver to become tarnished. Those substances which possess sulfide include rubber bands, latex gloves and wool. It has also been proven that in any location where coal is used as a fuel, any form of silverware or silver jewelry may corrode. The primary culprit is the ample presence of sulfur in coal.

Why does it corrode?

The tarnishing of silver may be distinguished when it begins to lose its gleaming property; there is a noticeable change in color from being shiny silver to a tinge of yellow, until it worsens its color into grey or black in most instances.

Some contributing factors in the corrosion or tarnishing of silver may include extreme level of humid atmosphere and variances in weather. Oil and eggs which are commonly found in the kitchen, should not come in contact with these silverwares as it assists in the process of corrosion and could cause immediate damage.

Measures to prevent corrosion

Research provides a variety of measures to at least lessen the damage caused by these corrosive substances to a silver jewelry or silverware. There are natural remedies which are recommended to eliminate minimal amounts of tarnish from products such as silver chains, rings and pendants and these may include the following: plating it with various metals such as copper, which assists in providing it with a protective layer. You may also immerse it in chemicals or stuff it with silica granules as they are popular in its means of absorbing any excessive humidity in the atmosphere.

The Popularity of corroded jewelry

Nowadays, manufacturers of silver jewelry intentionally tarnish the silver to be able to display nicely carved jewelry pieces which supports a fascinating ancient look On the other hand, those corroded silver rings and chains which contain a hint of yellow to gray are used by craftsmen as a guide in designing and shaping new pieces of jewelry which looks artistic and sophisticated.
Therefore, the means to prevent corrosion and the way to corrode it are just similar. The main difference is that they are done in reverse. That is why whatever shape or form you want in a silver jewelry, you can always have the option of making it appear naturally silver, glazed or corroded.

Comments (0)

November 19, 2009

How to Clean Your Sterling Silver Jewelry

Filed under: Sterling Silver — Tags: clean your sterling silver jewelry, jewelry, Sterling Silver, sterling silver jewelry — admin @ 12:00 pm

A sterling silver jewelry is a very beautiful piece and also very affordable. Especially when compared to gold and other more precious metals, silver is always priced less. But that does not mean it is less attractive than gold jewelry. Silver has its own lasting quality. It has its own level of shine or gleam that attracts people to it. Its luster is generally characterized as soft and which is the preference of many. This is why it is often the choice of most people who love to wear jewelry on a daily basis because it is less extravagant and less prone to getting stolen or robbed.

But if there is one disadvantage in wearing a sterling silver jewelry is that it can easily be tarnished or simply put, its luster can easily diminish. But rest assured that it is not permanent and that you can always bring back that beautiful shine from your jewelry if you know how to clean your piece the right way.

Here are some tips that you can follow on how to clean your silver jewelry even if you are not a professional jewelry cleaner.

1. Frequency is the key.
You must clean your sterling silver piece as often as you can. Even if it still does not show any lack of luster, you should still clean it so you can avoid accidentally wearing a dull piece of jewelry. Another is that you should frequently wear your silver jewelry because if you just keep it in your jewelry box, it is also one reason why silver tarnishes easily.

A simple way to clean it is by washing it with a phosphate-free detergent under running water. Do not rub it too hard because you can easily scratch your silver jewelry that way. You should also not wash it together with other utensils like spoons, forks and knives because any contact with another metal might scratch your silver jewelry.

2. Polish your jewelry.
Sometimes simple washing will no longer be enough to keep your silver jewelry clean and shiny. This means you will have to polish your jewelry. You can buy a specifically formulated polish for silver pieces from a jewelry store or specialty shop. It usually involves a sponge and a paste-like substance that serves as the polishing material for your jewelry. You just need to rub that paste onto your silver jewelry and it will bring back the luster.

3. Keep your sterling silver in a safe place.
If you are not going to wear your silver jewelry, store it in a specially made place for it. You can buy an anti-tarnish paper and then wrap your jewelry in it. You can also use any acid-free paper for this same purpose. Also put a silica gel nearby wherever you keep your silver jewelry. This will lessen the humidity which greatly contributes to the tarnishing of the silver piece.

By frequently cleaning your silver jewelry and keeping it in its appropriate place or box, you can be sure that you will be enjoying your jewelry for many years ahead.

Comments (0)

November 18, 2009

Sterling Silver Jewelry and How It Tarnishes

Filed under: Sterling Silver — Tags: jewelry, sterling, sterling silver jewelry, sterlng silver — admin @ 12:00 pm

For hundreds or even thousands of years, people have been using silver in creating beautiful jewelry pieces. These adorn the royalties and influential people, but notably kings, queens, princes and princesses and other noble individuals. Sterling silver, which means it is made of 92.5 percent pure silver, is the metal of choice of many jewelers even in the old days because of the ease of use in shaping it into almost any jewelry piece that they want.

Women have adorned themselves with silver earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Men on the other hand have used it for their rings and nowadays, for cuff links. Even children today are adorned by their parents with little sterling silver jewelry that shine whenever they are playing in the sun. This shows that silver is the one metal that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

But it is not just the gender and the age that makes silver a very likable piece of jewelry metal. Because of its very affordable price, silver is a constant favorite among all people for their daily jewelry. For example, if you are just going to the office and you still want to adorn yourself with a piece of jewelry, you definitely do not want a highly expensive gold jewelry. What you want is an equally beautiful jewelry that is made of the less expensive silver so in case that it gets lost or worse, if stolen, it will not hurt your pocket that much. Of course it is a completely different matter if that sterling silver jewelry has sentimental value for you.

So how does silver tarnish? It can easily be tarnished if it is exposed to hydrogen sulfide. This substance can be found in rubber materials such as gloves and bands. There are other factors that can make a silver tarnish but this is the most common one. Weather changes can also be a factor as well as other every day items like eggs. That is why you will not see chefs wearing a silver ring while preparing food.

You can say that silver tarnishes because it loses its gleam or its shine that you noticed the first time you saw it. Over time, this gleam fades away that is why it is highly advisable that you should clean your sterling silver jewelry as often as you can to prevent losing its luster as well as to maintain its existing gleam.

One way to prevent your silver from tarnishing is to buy a do it yourself jewelry cleaning kit. It usually includes a cleaning mixture and a sponge or a piece of cloth specifically designed for cleaning jewelry. But most professionals would rather advice you to just bring your silver jewelry to a jewelry shop where they can professionally clean your jewelry for you. This second option is a better one but it will of course cost you more money to have it cleaned by someone else. Anyway, do not mind the added expense as long as you can be sure that your jewelry will be properly cleaned for it to last longer.

Comments (0)

November 17, 2009

Sterling Silver Jewelry for Affordable Adornments

Filed under: Sterling Silver — Tags: jewelry, sterling, Sterling Silver, sterling silver jewelry — admin @ 12:00 pm

A lot of people feel that they always should be wearing a piece of jewelry whenever they go out. Some even when they are just staying in their homes. They even claim that they usually feel naked when they are not wearing any jewelry at all. You might think that it is quite an absurd claim, but the fact is people have their own strange characteristics and to some, wearing jewelry may be an important part of their whole being. But what will you do if you are not well off? If you have very limited budget in purchasing the kind of jewelry that you want? Usually this kind of jewelry comes in the form of gold, platinum and other precious metals adorned with diamonds and other highly valuable stones or gems. But if you do not have the money for all of these, then you can turn to buying a sterling silver jewelry that is equally beautiful but at just a portion of the price of most jewelry sets.

Rings, bracelets, earrings, chains, necklaces and more, just name it and you can be sure to find a silver jewelry of that shape or purpose. In the past, silver is highly priced as a precious metal and usually adorns kings and queens of old. But the abundance of silver deposits or sources is perhaps the one great factor that made its price go lower than gold. But still the significance of it as a metal for jewelry making has not faded but in fact has grown since it has now become so much more affordable for the masses to adorn themselves with stunningly beautiful pieces of jewelry that are made of sterling silver.

Keep in mind that silver used in jewelry making are usually 92.5 percent pure silver. It is mixed with another metal to make it stronger because pure silver is very soft and can easily be scratched. So when you are in the market for a silver jewelry, make sure that what you are buying is made of 92.5 percent pure silver which is the highest amount used by jewelry makers today.

In fact, that soft or malleable property of silver makes it a favorite for jewelry makers because it is very easy to shape a piece of silver into any design imaginable. And because it is priced so much lower than gold, jewelers can create as many designs or versions of a popular design as they want. And in return, people can buy any sterling silver jewelry that they adore. For this reason it comes as no surprise that you see people from all walks of life wearing a set of lovely jewelry as they walk down the street or just go out with their friends for a nice chit chat.

Sterling silver is very affordable but that does not mean it is admired less. On the contrary, more people own this type of jewelry as compared to gold or platinum, which are both very expensive and are usually beyond the purchasing power of most people. So take care of your silver jewelry and clean it as often as needed and you will find that it will last for as long as you want it to last.

Comments (0)

« Newer Posts — Older Posts »