Jewelry was originally made using precious metals and rare gems. This attribute made people yearn to possess such masterpieces that were rare and unique. Jewelry's worth was based on the metal, the stones used and the craftsmanship. These factors made jewelry an unattainable aspiration to many and a luxury that only the elite could afford. In recent years there has been a paradigm shift. The use of sterling silver has made jewelry a dream come true to those who have been just gaping at the windows of jewelry shops. Silver has been used as a metal for jewelry for long, but silver as such is too soft a metal, and pure silver is seldom used for making jewelry. Sterling silver, however, is a harder alloy lending itself for exquisite craftsmanship.



Sterling silver is 92.5 percent of silver and the remaining an alloy that is predominantly copper. Sterling silver offers just the right material properties like malleability and flexural strength and allows itself to be crafted into intricate designs. Another great advantage is that sterling silver can be gold plated or plated with rhodium to make it look like platinum, giving it the appearance of one of the most expensive metals at the price of silver. One more unbeatable feature about sterling silver is that the metal can be given an antique finish to add a touch of nostalgia and a classic look to jewelry.

Sterling silver jewelry has now swept the market and one can find an endless collection of beautifully crafted rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, pedants and jewelry sets. Among the most popular of choices is the cubic zirconia studded sterling silver jewelry. Cubic Zirconia or CZ as it is popularly known, so closely resembles a diamond that only the well trained eye can tell the difference between the two. The combination of platinum like sterling silver finished jewelry studded with flawless diamond CZ is truly ethereal and regal.

Though sterling silver came as a cost effective replacement for expensive jewelry, it has found the rich, the elite and the celebrities too building up huge and varied collections of sterling silver jewelry, which otherwise would have not been possible. Today, sterling silver jewelry designs are celebrity inspired and designer inspired. There is not a single intricate craftsmanship that is not possible to imitate with this wonderful metal. Sterling silver jewelry can now be shopped with just the click of a mouse and right from the comforts of one's home. There are many jewelry sites that offer wide collection of unique jewelry at rates that are down to earth.