Sterling silver is the most popular silver alloy today. It is 92.5% pure silver, and the remaining 7.5%, as a rule, is copper, sometimes nickel, platinum and other metals. Branded products from sterling silver familiar to us 925 breakdown. An additive in the form of copper most often significantly increases the strength of the metal and makes it harder, without depriving the main characteristics: reliability, quality and ductility.
Sterling silver is a dazzling white alloy with a pleasant and noble sheen. Initially, it was used in Germany for the manufacture of
silver coins, and since 1158 in England, sterling silver has become the raw material for the manufacture of well-known sterling by order of King Henry II.
Silver jewelry
Sterling silver is the most commonly used alloy, from which jewelers make numerous jewelry, souvenirs and cutlery. Despite its relatively inexpensive cost, it is a very popular and beautiful metal. That is why jewelry such as silver chains , bracelets, cufflinks or tie clips are especially popular with men . In addition, the modern jewelry industry has the ability to coat silverware with a thin layer of rhodium, which gives the products a more aesthetic appearance and protects the metal from premature darkening and yellowing.
Semi-precious stones, such as topaz, amethyst, chrysolite or garnet look very impressive in silverware. This noble metal, as a rule, does not distract attention from the stone, but only allows it to play even more in the light, creating a decent frame.
Why is silver getting dark?
Very many people think that only low-quality silver items darken, but this is not entirely true. Unfortunately, sterling silver is a metal subject to oxidation, so there are several reasons why products, including coins, lose their appearance:
- One of the main reasons for the darkening of silver is the increased humidity of the air and the environment in general. That is why it is not recommended to take a shower and bathe in jewelry made of this metal.
- Even if you do not forget to remove the silver jewelry during water procedures, most likely, it will still turn black over time, and the cause of this will be your sweat.
- It is believed that silver will necessarily darken if it is worn by a sick person. Allegedly, the latter’s body undergoes special processes, due to which blood can change its chemical composition, which affects jewelry. However, this version is a kind of folk sign that does not have any scientific evidence.
- In order for your jewelry made of sterling silver 925 to always look like new, it is enough to care for them properly and clean them using special products that are sold in jewelry stores.
Souvenirs and gifts from silver
Sterling silver is a wonderful and very popular material for making gifts and souvenirs. You must agree that it is always nice to get a silver photo frame or an ionizer for water as a presentation. A very popular gift was a silver pen, which can be presented not only to a colleague at work, but also to a director or leader. Glasses, glasses, sets for spices, car key rings - almost all variants of souvenir and gift products today are made of 925 sterling silver and are especially popular and in demand.