If you shop for jewelry...and what girl doesn't, you should know the different types of metal used and what you are paying for. Why are some "silver " items so much more expensive than others? It can be confusing for sure, so today I am giving you all a lesson on silver metals. Sometimes you will hear the term "silver tone"used in describing a piece of jewelry. All that silver tone implies, is that the metal used looks like silver, it is a silver color, but there is no real silver content in the metal.
"Silver plated" is when a very thin layer of real silver is bonded to a metal core. Silver plated jewelry is more affordable than sterling silver or fine silver, however, with time and wear, the silver color can rub off. Be careful when shopping, as I have seen items listed as "sterling silver plated"...which can be a bit confusing to the buyer. "Is that silver plated or sterling silver?" It IS silver plated!
"Sterling silver" is least 92.5 % pure, with 7.5% parts of another metal, usually copper, which gives the silver its hardness. When you see an item stamped .925, that is the hallmark of sterling silver. Jewelry made from sterling silver will last a lifetime, although you will need to clean it regularly to prevent tarnish from building up. Silver, reacts with the sulfur or hydrogen sulfide in the air causing it to tarnish. Although I find that by wearing my sterling silver jewelry, it tends not to tarnish as quickly.
. "Fine silver" is 99.9% pure, and is a very soft metal. Thai silver is a very fine silver,and is very often 97-99% pure. I use sterling silver and fine silver in my jewelry designs. Next time I will discuss caring for your sterling silver jewelry!
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7 comments:
i so love silver. thats all i wear. not a gold person but i do like gold. great blog
Great explanation of the difference between silver products. I just love that bottom bracelet too!
Hi Susan, very helpful post ... I have some lovely silver anklets that are very tarnished.. so am awaiting your post on how to clean them properly :)
very informative? What about Tibetan silver? Is that similiar to
Thai silver?
Glad you all liked the information on silver!
Storybeader- NO!! Tibetan silver, at least the modern type is a very cheap form of metal, often having no silver content at all. It often contains tin, copper,& can contain nickel, and lead.
Hi Susan
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Very good information to have since I cannot wear gold at all and must select silver, platinum or some other metal for all my jewelry.
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