Silver has always held a prestigious place as a precious metal. This soft, white and lustrous metal has the timeless appeal of diamonds and the sophistication and dignity of gold. Silver jewellery looks exquisite and can also be affordable. It teams up well with fashionable as well as traditional outfits. Silver charms, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, chokers, pendants, rings, bangles, tie pins, cufflinks and watches are some of the ornaments that have charmed both women and men through the ages. Silver is extensively used for coins as well.
Silver is found in abundance in nature in combination with copper and lead. Pure silver is soft, but a little bit harder than gold. It matches the brilliant lustre of gold and is alloyed with copper and other metals to increase its tenacity. Highly ductile and malleable, it can be hammered into thin sheets and drawn into very thin wires for making artefacts, flatware, dinnerware and ornaments. It is considered to be the best conductor of heat and electricity. Besides ornamental uses, silver has industrial uses too.
Before buying silver, it is important to know a few facts about the metal. Four kinds of silver namely pure, sterling, oxidised and German are available on the market for jewellery making and other decorative purposes. An understanding of each of these will enable the buyer to make a well considered purchase.
Silver hallmarked as 999/1000 is pure. Pure silver ornaments are unaffected by water and air but tarnish on exposure to air containing sulphur, hydrogen sulphide and ozone. Sterling silver is 92.5 per cent pure silver and is considered ideal for all kinds of jewellery. With 7.5 per cent of an alloy mixed with it, sterling silver is stronger and more durable than pure silver. Oxidised silver looks blackish and lustreless. Inlayed with semiprecious stones, intricately crafted or with abstract patterns, oxidised sterling jewellery can be very modern and fashionable.
German silver or nickel silver is an alloy of nickel, copper and zinc. Unless plated with silver, German silver does not contain any silver. The name is given because the metal resembles silver in its sheen. German silver is used for electroplated cutlery, coins, zippers and the railway tracks of model trains.
The price of a silver article depends on the amount of silver contained in it, the intricacy of the design, techniques such as the chasing, inlay and filigree work involved and the labour and craftsmanship involved. Check for the workmanship and finish of the article before making a purchase and always buy from a reputed jeweller. It is important to check the percentage of silver on the hallmark symbol on the underside of the article, as items with a higher percentage of silver tarnish less. With the market value of silver rising, it is a good investment option.
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