Next to gold, silver is probably the most sought after material for the creation of beautiful jewelry. Silver is common as a metal with which to make necklaces and chains, rings, earrings, pins and many other decorative wearable art.

We have all heard the term ‘sterling silver’ but do you know what that mean? This designation ‘sterling’ means that the silver in question is no less than 92.5% silver and 7.5% something else, the something else almost always being copper. This reference began in the British Isles, and was originally based on English coinage. Over time, however this standard which is sometimes written as 925-1000, is the worldwide standard for silver.

Without the added copper pure silver would be too soft to use in any truly useful manner. Even with the copper added silver is a soft metal, easy to mold into wonderful, creative designs. Silver is sometimes blackened to give an antique-like finish, or polished to a high sheen, making it almost glow. No wonder silver is not only popular for jewelry, but for other decorative items such as candlesticks, cups, platters, and bowls.

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