Silver
Silver and 925 sterling: properties, alloys, tarnish and cleaning.
12 entries
Buying guides
Can you mix gold and silver? How to combine jewelry
Yes, gold and silver can be combined. Tips for mixing metals, rings, necklaces and earrings, and what to avoid so the whole looks balanced.
Techniques
Care and cleaning of silver jewelry
General tips for the care and cleaning of silver jewelry: regular cleaning, home methods, storage and the effect of climate.
Techniques
Electroplating: gold, silver and rhodium baths
Electroplating coats a piece with a thin layer of another metal by electrolysis: gold, silver and rhodium baths; steps, thicknesses and care.
Jewelry and everyday life
Gold or silver: why some people prefer gold and others silver
Why some people lean toward gold and others toward silver: color, culture, budget, skin, style and habit. And why you do not have to choose.
Jewelry care and maintenance
How to clean silver jewelry and remove tarnish
How to clean 925 silver at home: cloth, mild soap and baking soda with aluminum foil, and when not to (pearls, porous stones and intentional patina).
Jewelry care and maintenance
How to clean silver, gold and steel chains
How to clean silver, gold and stainless steel chains without tangling or scratching them, and how to restore the shine of the links.
Buying guides
How to tell if silver is real
How to check whether a silver piece is genuine: 925 mark, magnet, ice, white cloth and professional testing; which tests are reliable and which are not.
Techniques
Keum-boo: gold foil on silver
Keum-boo, a Korean technique, joins 24-karat gold foil to fine silver with heat and pressure, without solder, for a gold-on-silver finish.
Materials
Nickel silver (German silver)
Nickel silver, or German silver, is a copper, nickel and zinc alloy with a silvery look that contains no silver; common in costume jewelry and cutlery.
Materials
Silver
What silver is, whether it is a mineral, its alloys and grades (999, 925, 800), uses in jewelry, history and how to care for it.
Buying guides
What is 925 silver (sterling silver)
925 or sterling silver is an alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper; its advantages, care and how it differs from pure silver.
Jewelry care and maintenance
Why silver turns black and how to prevent it
Silver turns black from sulfur in the air and on skin (silver sulfide). How to prevent it with good storage and regular wear, and how to clean it.