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Silver

Silver through History

Silver has been valued as a precious metal for thousands of years, and has a history that goes back as far as records show. It has been used by cultures all over the world for thousands of years. It has been found in remains of ancient Egypt and appears in Norse and Celtic mythology. Silver's place as a precious metal right behind gold is especially clear in the Greek's naming the beginnings of the civilization of humankind as the Silver Age, right behind the blissful Golden Age before civilization. Silver even shows up in the Bible to denote the wealth of kings and nations, and is frequently used alongside gold as a metaphor for spiritual wealth and fulfillment and purity.

What is Silver?

Silver is a metal with a brilliant white luster that appears as an element on that periodic table of elements you remember from chemistry class. (Its chemical symbol is Ag. That's because the name for silver in Latin is argentum, from an Indo-European root "arg," meaning "white" or "shining.") It is found both in its pure form and as an alloy with other metals, usually copper.

Uses for Silver

Silver has been used to make jewelry, tableware, utensiles (hence the name "silverware") and coins for thousands of years. Silver is a soft metal, meaning it can be easily bent into shapes and formed into jewelry, but it also scratches easily (chemists call these properties "ductile" and "malleable"). Pure silver is actually slightly harder than pure gold, but even so, it is frequently added to other metals to make sterling silver, which is harder and thus more durable than pure silver, making for better, longer-lasting jewelry.

Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is great for jewelry because it is cheaper than gold and it has a more neutral color, meaning it goes well with any stone and any outfit. It is durable, thus making it perfect for everyday wear, or it is beautiful enough to be worn as a dazzling accent to a formal ensemble.

You will frequently see ".925" stamped on sterling silver jewelry. Amber Laine identifies all of our sterling silver jewelry as .925 sterling silver or sterling silver. This is because in the United States, an alloy can only be labelled as any kind of "silver" if it has at least 92.5% silver. The other 7.5% is usually copper, although it can be some other metal. The more additional metal is added to the silver, the harder it is, thus, most sterling silver jewelry has the maximum allowed by the government – 92.5%, making it .925 sterling silver.

Mythical Power of Silver

Silver has well-known anti-microbial properties, and was used until the 20th century to keep food and water pure during storage. Silver is said to be the mirror of the soul. It is said to have purifying healing properties and the ability to channel positive energy.

Cleaning

To clean sterling silver jewelry from the dirt and grime that accumulates when you wear your jewelry, simply wash it in a solution of warm soapy water. Use a soft bristled brush to clean the hard to reach spots. Rinse and dry thoroughly with a soft, lint-free cloth. Make sure not to leave any water spots, as that could promote tarnishing! Sterling silver jewelry naturally tarnishes over time through exposure to the sun and air. You can prevent tarnishing by storing your jewelry in individual airtight bags may help prevent tarnishing. You can also buy bags made especially to prevent tarnishing. Its also a good idea to store your jewelry apart from other pieces to prevent scratching or being scratched. To clean tarnished sterling silver jewelry, your best bet is to buy a silver polishing cloth. This will restore your jewelry to a bright shine without damaging most stones, and is much less noxious than commercial silver polishers. You can also make a paste from baking soda and water and use a soft, lint-free cloth to gently rub and polish the jewelry. Rinse and dry thoroughly. To keep your sterling silver jewelry looking bright for ages to come, clean and polish regularly, and avoid wearing it while cleaning with chemicals, swiming, or cooking, as certain acids and chemicals can erode silver or promote tarnishing. Rubber in particular is damaging to silver.