Sterling silver is not the purest form of silver, as it contains 92.5 percent of silver and 7.25 percent of copper. The best way to judge whether the metal is sterling silver or not, is the difference it its luster. As 100% pure silver is too malleable to be used as a metal from which the jewelry can be finished when it is assorted with other metals its resilience increases. Many people are allergic to certain metals, but so far no problem has yet been encountered by people who have tried sterling silver. Rhodium is generally added to gold or sterling silver, the base metals, to bestow its glistening white surface. It is one of the major members of the family of platinum. This practice of plating came into practice in early 30's and 40's. The process of plating jewelry is expensive as rhodium is not found in bounty.

Importance of rhodium in jewelry

This metal is widely used for plating, as it has tremendous gleam and provides a well polished façade. It also provides resistance to smudge. Sterling silver and gold can be made tarnish and scratch resistant, if they are coated with platinum, though it is not hundred percent impermeable to every day wear and damage. In order to keep it completely safe, one must avoid those activities that lead to the oxidization of the jewelry. The facility of re-plating is available with most of the neighboring jewelers for a nominal price. Due to friction, silver necklaces undergo more damage when compared to silver rings and silver bracelets.

Changing trends

Jewelry has always been a craze with women. Changing fashion is always supplemented by a change in jewelry. With changing trends the demand for silver bracelets, silver necklaces, silver earrings, silver pendants, silver chains and silver rings are ever on the increase. People want a break from the traditional yellow gold and want something which blends perfectly with their pelt tenor and the kind of attire they wear. Sterling silver has made this possible, as it has made finishing of silver jewelry more sturdy and at the same time elegant. Silver jewelry is available for all occasions, from casual to special. Sterling silver bracelets and silver necklaces are in effective demand as they are less expensive and thus you can have an entire collection. The variety allows you to mix and match according to your attire and mood! Silver bracelets and earrings are available in the latest designs and are combined with some selective stones that enhance its value.

Sterling silver necklaces and silver bracelets are the 'in' these days. Sterling silver corrodes with time and exposure to air and salt. To avoid this from happening clean your jewelry with daily use non- toxic cleaners.

These days, Rhodium is the most sought-after metal in the jewelry market. It has bright and sparkling look that has silver-like resemblance. The trend of yellow gold jewelry is almost over now. But there is no need of discarding them and spending extra money on purchasing new fashionable jewelry as the yellow gold can be rhodium-plated to give it white gold look.

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The Use of Silver for Jewelry and Ornaments

Silver is a white metal that is soft, which makes it highly malleable. It is easy to draw out into thin wire or made into different shapes. It is very attractive when used in jewelry because it can be polished to a high shine that ill reflect 95% of the light that shines on it. The use of silver for jewelry and ornaments has existed in the world since the time of the ancient civilizations. Egyptian writings dated about 3000B.C. referred to the use of silver jewelry and in 77 A.D. Pliny the Elder, a Roman writer, actually described in his writings the process by which the silver jewelry was made. The discovery of large silver deposits in Central and South America during the 16th and 17th centuries sparked the quest for silver in the New World. In fact, there were large silver mining operations in place in Mexico and Bolivia as early as the middle of the 1500's.

Pure silver is not used in the manufacture of silver jewelry because it is too soft. Silver Jewelry usually contains alloys because they are harder and resist tarnishing much better than pure silver. The silver alloy that most people are familiar with is sterling silver. Sterling silver jewelry contains approximately 93% silver and 7 % copper. Silver and copper are closely related and when they are combined, the silver does not react when it is exposed to the air. Some other kinds of silver jewelry contain a higher percentage of copper and also have traces of gold.

Silver jewelry is not as expensive as gold jewelry, perhaps because silver itself is fairly inexpensive. Many people prefer sterling silver jewelry to gold because of the price and the fact that it often looks to be shinier gold and therefore is more noticeable.

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