Silver

One of the first metals to be used by humans as jewels, Silver has been all time favourite for those who believe in simplicity and grace. It is the whitest colour of any metal and its pure version is extremely soft. Silver has always stood for purity and, we can find many instances of silver being used as a purifier for body and food. Before the advent of antibiotics, Silver compounds were used to prevent infection in World War I and it is still used for water purification

Commercially silver has a great deal of historical importance as the words ‘money’ and ’silver’ are the same in a dozen or more languages,. The name of the United Kingdom currency "pound" (£) got its name as it represented the value of one troy pound of sterling silver. Thus, silver stands for shine, health and wealth.

Silver Jewellery

There are a wide range of finishes for silver jewellery: dull, bright, oxidized and there is an alluring choice of designs. One can purchase several pieces as it is affordable and you get to choose between glamorous, traditional and official styles. Men are now growing a liking for silver rings with darker colored gemstones like navy blue, dark green or deep red. Dull or tarnished silver beads add to the tough look of men and they are great as presents too. The shining of silver sparkles in a very attractive manner and this ray makes every dull clothes live.

Silver is rated according to its purity. Pure silver jewellery has a minimum mix of copper ranging from 1% to 3% in pure silver. Sterling silver beads have at least 7.5% of copper mixed and are approximately 92.5% pure. In terms of strength, Sterling silver is better than pure silver. In some parts of the world, sterling silver is marked .925 indicating that the purity of the silver is 92.5% and the name sterling silver is not used.

Another interesting quality of pure silver is that it can be made to very thin sheets and wires. Thin wires finer than a human hair can be drawn out of pure silver and this makes is suitable for making amazing jewellery.

Handmade silver ornaments are exciting in their designs. The island nations of Bali and Thailand produce the most alluring varieties of silver ornaments which are called Bali Silver and Hill Tribe Silver. There are talented silver artisans who create very small works which are almost never alike. These beads have very distinct designs and have a traditional feel about them with images from nature such as animals, trees, birds and flowers carved on them.

Among the silver ornaments, Squash Blossom necklaces and silver bracelets with inlay work are ancient but are still in vogue.

Buying & Caring tips

Reliability: Reliability is crucial for silver as harder material is some times used inside it with plate on top. Metals other than silver are usually heavier.

Authenticity: Noted models such as Bali Silver and Hill Tribe Silver can be machine made these days. It is important to verify the authenticity before you buy hand crafted materials

Use: If you are planning to wear the ornament on a daily basis, it is advisable to buy beads which have the least amount of mixture. Higher purity will ensure the stay of the material without any tarnish for a longer time. But these are again less strong than 925 silver and may break easily.

Cleaning : Mostly, silver jewellery has a tarnished appearance to give it depth and an antique look. One should be careful while cleaning (if required) such stuff. The tarnish is removed with anti-tarnish polishes, lemon juice or even toothpaste with a soft cloth. . If you don’t like the tarnished look of your jewellery, don't wear your silver beads while swimming or when taking a shower.

Storage: The best way to keep your jewellery is to store it in a soft cloth bag or an airtight plastic covers.