You're currently on:
Silver
Silver provides a wonderful brightness to any piece of jewelry. It's cheaper than gold and provides an attractive alternative to its more expensive cousin. Sterling silver, also called 925 silver, is commonly used in jewelry. Fine silver, which is 99.9% pure, is also commonly used in creating fine jewelry. Because it is purer, fine silver is often softer than sterling silver which makes it less desirable for everyday jewelry.
Silver Purity
Compared to gold, silver has comparatively few purity classifications. One of the most common is sterling silver or 925 silver, which is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Sterling silver will tarnish over time because of the copper content of the alloy. Another common type of silver is fine silver. Fine silver is 99.9% pure and the price rises accordingly.
Cleaning Silver
Silver can develop a lovely patina the longer it is handled, but as with most jewelry, the various soaps, lotions and other residues can form on the surface of your silver, giving a dull look. With time, this can turn into tarnish. We recommend the following methods to keep your silver looking its best:
Baking Soda
Apply a paste of baking soda and water to the silver. Rub the silver with the paste, rinse it off and dry with a soft dry cloth. If the silver is heavily tarnished you may need to repeat this process multiple times.
Storing Your Silver Jewelry
Silver is generally non-reactive, but there are a few things to be cautious of. Rubber can etch silver, so do not store your silver in rubber containers or wrap it with rubber bands. When possible, store your silver jewelry in the tarnish-resistant bag in which it was shipped. These bags contain a coating that impedes tarnish although it cannot prevent it entirely.
Traveling With Your Silver Jewelry
As with your gold jewelry, pack your silver jewelry carefully when traveling. There are many types of jewelry traveling carryalls on the market. They come in all sizes, shapes and patterns and most have velvet linings inside to attach pins and earrings, and compartments to place your bracelets and necklaces.
To keep your jewelry looking it's best when you arrive, pack a small plastic bottle of prepared jewelry cleaner.