Pure silver is a fairly soft metal and is usually mixed with copper to attain greater hardness. Its malleability (ability to be shaped) and durability make it a great metal for jewelry designing. Its relative availability compared to gold and platinum make it an affordable precious metal.
Sterling silver is a mixture of 92.5 % pure silver and 7.5% copper. There are lesser grades of silver however all jewelry and accessories at Diamonds on Fifth are made of only 92.5% beautiful sterling silver.
To ensure that you are getting only the best in sterling silver make sure your jewelry is stamped with the quality mark of “Sterling” or it may be stamped .925.
Silver can be polished, matte, satin, sandblasted, oxidized (blackened using chemicals) or antiqued.
Silver does tarnish, although frequent wear will minimize tarnish. If your jewelry becomes tarnished, use a soft silver polishing cloth or silver polish cream to gently clean. Tarnish is most easily removed when it first becomes visible. Store your silver jewelry in a cloth-lined box or pouch to minimize scratching.
