| Sterling silver has played both a functional and | | | | the 1820s. However, the use and applications for |
| cultural role in many societies. This article provides | | | | coins is evolving now that electronic commerce is |
| an easy guide to understanding how it is | | | | growing more popular. |
| technically defined as well as how this definition | | | | History and culture have provided many other |
| has developed culturally through history. | | | | standards for silver. In the 12th century there |
| Descriptions of current applications for its artistic | | | | were five German towns that called themselves |
| value in jewelry are explored. | | | | the Easterling and formed what was know as the |
| Why is "sterling" silver special? Sterling silver is the | | | | Hanseatic League. The league participated in |
| finest balance between the practical and the | | | | commerce with England. They used their local |
| beautiful. Let's say you had a water pitcher filled | | | | currency in doing business and it happened to be |
| to the brim. If it were made of 99.9% pure fine | | | | 92.5% pure silver. The English were most |
| silver, the handle would probably bend as you | | | | impressed with the coins of the Easterling due to |
| were serving your guests and make for a messy | | | | their quality and durability. Eventually, King Henry II |
| dinner party. Silver is a soft metal and must be | | | | of England brought silver refiners from the |
| reinforced to make it functional. Silver jewelry can | | | | Easterling to England and by the year 1158, |
| also suffer unintended alterations if the metal is | | | | "Tealby Pennies" became standard sterling silver |
| not strong enough to avoid bending. | | | | currency. |
| Instead of using pure silver, the metal is mixed | | | | Beyond currency, the rise in popularity of sterling |
| with an alloy that adds strength to the metal. | | | | silver was perpetuated by flatware and jewelry. |
| Most often copper is used. Other additives are | | | | In the United States and Europe between about |
| occasionally used that claim to reduce tarnishing. | | | | 1840 and 1940, proper society set stringent |
| Germanium, zinc and platinum are occasionally | | | | standards for table setting. This perpetuated a |
| used as alloys. This is the basis for the sterling | | | | number of silver companies. Each company |
| silver standard. The sterling standard is 92.5% | | | | produced a wide variety of intricate patterns that |
| pure silver and 7.5% other metal or metals. This | | | | were truly fine art and design. After World War |
| can also be expressed as the minimum millesimal | | | | II, labor costs and more convenient alternatives |
| fineness of 925. | | | | caused the decline of sterling flatware. |
| Sterling silver is the silver grade most often used | | | | Have you ever polished silver? It must be done |
| for jewelry and household accessories. To qualify | | | | regularly to remove tarnish. Did you ever wonder |
| a piece of silver as sterling, look for one of the | | | | what causes the tarnish to dull your grandparent's |
| following marks: | | | | heirloom silver? It is not the silver that causes the |
| - sterling | | | | problem. Silver does not chemically react with |
| - sterling silver | | | | water or oxygen. It is the alloy that oxidizes and |
| - ster | | | | causes the black silver sulfide (Ag2S)/tarnish to |
| - .925 | | | | form on the silver. Two products commonly used |
| In many countries, a sterling silver object that is | | | | to remove it are Twinkle Cream and Wright's |
| to be sold commercially must be stamped by an | | | | Silver Cream. Even though this can be labor |
| Assay office after testing for purity. This is | | | | intensive, the beauty of polished silver flatware |
| required of other metal objects as well. In the | | | | gleaming in elegance on a formal dinning room |
| United Kingdom, the Hallmarking Act of 1973 | | | | table provides a truly artistic dining experience. |
| made it illegal to describe anything as made of | | | | Today, the artistic use of silver is popularly |
| platinum, gold or silver unless it had the | | | | employed in jewelry. Every thing from beaded |
| appropriate Hallmark stamp. This was an historic | | | | jewelry to jewelry charms is made of sterling or |
| reference because the first Assay office in the | | | | purer grades of silver. Soldiers returning from |
| United Kingdom was Goldsmiths' Hall, which was | | | | World War II brought charms and pendants back |
| founded in the year 1300. This is where the term | | | | to family and friends. The use of silver dates |
| "Hallmarking" comes from. The objects were | | | | back to ancient Egypt when it was used |
| marked in Goldsmiths' Hall. | | | | symbolically as it still is today to celebrate |
| There are a number of other established silver | | | | everything from wedding anniversaries, birthdays, |
| standards based on a variety of applications. | | | | faith and religious expressions. It is often |
| Besides fine silver (99.9% pure) and sterling silver | | | | combined with precious and semi-precious gems |
| (92.5% pure), there is Mexican silver (95% pure). | | | | to enhance jewelry design, beauty and elegance in |
| Mexico is the only remaining country using silver in | | | | some of the finest jewelry of our time as well as |
| its circulating coinage. However, they reserve the | | | | the joy of everyday decoration and expression. |
| 95% pure standard for jewelry and art objects | | | | As an example, the following website combines |
| and use sterling silver for coins. | | | | sterling silver beads and findings with |
| Coin silver in the United States is dictated by the | | | | semi-precious gemstones: ( |
| Federal Trade Commission and is currently 90% | | | | Sterling silver is a practical and beautiful tool to |
| silver and 10% copper. The original coin silver | | | | help you celebrate your life. |
| standard was established in the United States in | | | | |