Q. What makes silver so appealing?
A: Polished pure silver is the most reflective metal on earth, with over 90% of light reflecting back to your eye. Silver is half as dense as gold or platinum, which makes it a lighter metal, as well.
Q: What are common silver jewelry trends?
Silver jewelry can be made as just the metal in rings, bangles and earrings, or it can be set with stones. A lot of southwestern US jewelry is set with turquoise, with intricate silver designs. Other popular stones include coral, blue topaz, and peridot.
Q: Is silver mixed with other metals?
It’s mixed with a small amount of copper. Sterling is the most popular silver alloy in jewelry, at 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. To be considered silver in the US, it must be at least 92.5% pure silver.
Q: Is silver easy to work with in jewelry?
A: Although it is not as malleable as gold, silver still is workable. It resists most corrosion, but is affected by tarnish (a mild form of corrosion caused by environmental chemicals). Tarnish is generally easy to clean off with a polishing cloth, although in cases where it’s built up silver dip is more effective.
