Also popular among silver jewelry designs is the eternity circle necklace and designer inspired heart necklace. While there is no shortage of retailers eager to sell silver jewelry to their customers, there are a great number of wholesalers online that are willing to not only sell to businesses, but to individuals as well. One popular silver jewelry wholesaler, known as Teeda, requires a minimum order of $100.00. Anything less will result in a $10.00 handling fee, but individuals will find that the low wholesale prices are worth their time.
One of the most popular styles of necklaces in silver jewelry is that of the box link. Commonly known for it's strength and durability, the box link will accommodate most pendants and can easily be stored away without having to worry about kinks.
One of the most important aspects of owning silver jewelry is knowing how to properly care for it. If preserved, silver jewelry can last a lifetime. If it is left strewn about, however, tarnishing may result in a manner that is beyond repair. The proper care for silver jewelry includes keeping it tucked away safely in a jewelry box or armoire. If at all possible, jewelry should be kept in the gift box that it came in. This will prevent it from coming into contact with other pieces, which may result in accidental scratches and will be particularly noticeable in highly polished pieces.
After wearing silver jewelry, it is recommended that individuals polish it using a jewelry polishing cloth before placing it back inside the box. By cleaning the residue that results from regular wear, silver jewelry will be less likely to tarnish and will maintain it's beautiful luster. In addition, there are also tarnish strips that are available for keeping silver jewelry from tarnishing. These small pieces of paper, commonly found in the shape of a square, are placed inside the box with silver jewelry and is thought to help it maintain it's natural beauty.
Most recently, some manufacturers have created jewelry boxes with special interior designed to keep silver jewelry free of tarnish for up to 20 years. If kept inside the box while not being worn, silver jewelry is thought to be safe from the harsh environment that would otherwise be very damaging to it's beauty. Tarnish-free jewelry boxes and rolls are available at most retail and fine jewelry stores, along with many online specialty shops.
The rising price of gold and platinum has diverted attention towards affordable silver jewelry. The same design and look of excellent gold jewelry can be obtained with silver jewelry or gold-fill jewelry. Further, silver jewelry suit all people with different color tones. Some people don't like the yellow color of gold and hence, they prefer silver jewelry. Flashing stones and gems can be used in silver jewelry to create an attractive piece. Many people prefer to design silver jewelry with Swarovski crystals that add more beauty to the jewelry.
Silver is mined in several countries, but the major contributors are Mexico, Peru, and Australia. Pure silver that is 100% silver cannot be used in making jewels. Any metal in its noble form cannot be used to create jewels, as the metal is too soft to craft. Depending on the metal that is used with silver, several types of silver are used in silver jewelry industry.
Popular and real silver jewelry is made of sterling silver. This contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% metal alloy. This combination is perfect to make silver jewelry that lasts long. This combination is referred as 925 hallmark. When you see the shopper claiming the jewelry as Sterling Silver, then you can be sure that it is the best silver. This jewelry can also be used for regular use. Ireland silver is more pure containing 95.85% silver and 4.16% copper. As this silver contains a greater percentage of silver, jewelry made of Ireland silver are expensive.
Silver jewelry is different from silver plated jewelry. Silver plated jewelry is made using a different base metal. Then a thin, fine layer of silver is coated on the surface to give a silver finish. The process used is called electrolysis and the result will be a silver plated jewelry. If you don't have enough money to buy Sterling silver jewelry, you can settle down for the cheap alternative, silver plated jewelry. However, this plated jewelry cannot be used regularly as the silver plating wears off easily. When a low quality base metal is used for silver plated jewelry, you cannot use the jewel when the coating starts wearing off.
(shanti ? you can add this if you want) If you want to go for the gold look at a fraction of the price a much better bet is gold-fill jewelry. This is an alloy of %9 gold with silver and other metals but since it's an amalgam it doesn't peel off with time and wear. It looks and feels like real gold at a price much closer to silver.
Other types of jewelry in silver industry are made of Alpaca silver and German silver. These are not silver and these alloys do not contain silver. These alloys are given the name silver because of the grayish silver like look. If you hear the retailer saying the jewelry is made of Alpaca silver or German silver, beware that these alloys never contain silver.
Instead of spending lot of dollars on gold and platinum, many people are showing interest in buying silver jewelry. The quality of silver used in the jewel should be assured before you buy it. More and more new designs are evolved in silver industry and you can find many necklaces, bracelets, ear rings, anklets, and brooches made of silver. Unlike gold jewelry, silver jewelry needs more care as silver tarnishes over a period of time. It should always be kept in a jewelry box or airtight container and can be polished by rubbing gently with a soft cloth.
Both Michele Oberton & Sima Menora are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.