| Sterling silver jewelry has been a popular | | | | Therefore, silver jewelry is usually plated with |
| commodity for thousands of years. One of the | | | | another metal to protect it from tarnishing. There |
| obvious reasons is the affordability over other | | | | are two kinds of plating for silver jewelry: nickel |
| precious metals gold and platinum. The large | | | | and rhodium plating. Nickel plating has a more |
| variety of sterling silver jewelry requires certain | | | | whitish look and rhodium plating has a darker look. |
| knowledge in order to choose the right piece and | | | | Rhodium is used to plate white gold and platinum |
| also keep it in good condition as long as possible. | | | | jewelry and is much more expensive than nickel, |
| The followings are the most common questions | | | | and it give better protection to the silver |
| concerning sterling silver jewelry. | | | | underneath. On the other hand, some silver |
| How do I clean sterling silver jewelry? It depends. | | | | jewelry is not plated. For instance, high polished |
| Usually, it is sufficient to use a jewelry cloth (with | | | | sterling silver jewelry does not have any plating |
| two layers of cloths in different colors) that you | | | | and the surface is polished by machine to render |
| can get from a jewelry accessory store. Don't | | | | shininess. Also, "oxidized silver" jewelry is oxidized |
| use any hard object to clean sterling silver | | | | on purpose to give a dark antique look and is not |
| jewelry; even paper towel could scratch the | | | | plated with any other metals. |
| surface. You should rub any dirt off using a | | | | How do I know the purity of my silver jewelry? |
| jewelry cloth, not fingernails. Silver-dip is another | | | | The purity of sterling silver refers to 92.5% of |
| commonly used sterling silver jewelry cleaner, | | | | silver in the alloy. In order to confirm the purity, |
| which can also be obtained from jewelry store. | | | | the metal itself has to be sent to a laboratory to |
| The entire silver jewelry is immerged in the | | | | be tested. However, most of the sterling silver |
| solution for half a minute to a minute and then | | | | jewelry produced nowadays has a "925" stamp |
| rinsed with water. Make sure the silver jewelry is | | | | to indicate the authenticity of the jewelry. |
| not plated with any other metal before using the | | | | Although there are cases where stamps are |
| silver-dip or the plating will be damaged. | | | | forged and the metal is either not silver or the |
| Where do I store sterling silver jewelry? It is | | | | purity is not as stated, they are very rare. |
| very important to store sterling silver jewelry | | | | How about engraving and resizing? Engraving and |
| properly when it is not used. The ideal place to | | | | resizing of sterling silver rings is rather simple due |
| store sterling silver jewelry is cool and away from | | | | to the ductility and relatively low melting point. |
| sunlight. Heat and light will turn a silver jewelry | | | | However, make sure your jeweler understands |
| yellow and cause it to tarnish quickly. Even indoor | | | | the process of refinishing the ring and that they |
| light source like florescent lights or light bulbs turn | | | | possess the necessary equipment to do so. Not |
| the color of silver jewelry over time. If you | | | | all jewelers have the equipment to recoat the |
| expect not to wear a certain piece for a long | | | | rhodium plating after cutting and welding the ring. |
| time, put it in a air-tight bag and store it in a | | | | Also, rings set with stones are sometimes not |
| drawer. | | | | resizable because resizing might cause the stones |
| What types of silver jewelry plating are there? | | | | to pop out. Such settings include channel and |
| Unlike gold and platinum, however, pure silver is | | | | invisible settings. |
| rather unstable and oxides rather quickly. | | | | |