Sterling silver jewelry is more affordable than platinum or gold. You can find top quality sterling crafted into a variety of styles—and it’s not just affordable—it’s beautiful as well! Silver looks fantastic on it's own or when mixed with gemstones.

Sterling silver is 92.5% silver mixed usually with copper which equals the remaining 7.5% of the composition. Sterling silver is sold by weight and there is no such thing as better silver or higher quality silver. All silvers that are 92.5% are the same in quality.

The difference in price from one piece and another that weigh the same amount is the type of work done on it. Handmade silver jewelry is more expensive than machine made silver jewelry. They are also more exclusive, a machine made piece is made by the thousands but one handmade piece can never be the same as another.

If the jewelry includes a gemstone, the price will vary based on the type of stone. Silver will change in pricing from the way the manufacturer processes it. Silver is a very mallable metal and beautiful jewelry is created from it. Usually a silver piece can be bought by its weight in silver plus a small percentage for labor.

When you buy sterling silver jewelry and silver jewelry sets it is very shiny and smooth. Silver is much shinier than gold or platinum. With time it will begin to lose its shine and tarnish will appear. This is due to the metal alloy added to the silver. If the copper comes in contact with air and sweat it will have a tendency to change color. However, many people choose to have their silver jewelry tarnished to give it an antique look.

Silver must always be wiped with a polishing cloth, not a brush or an abrasive cleaner that will scratch the surface. The occasional use of special silver cleaners is acceptable, but these should not be used often to maintain your piece. These types of cleaners are abrasive, and the shine they leave comes from rubbing of the patina or top layer of silver on your piece.

When sterling silver jewelry is cleaned regularly with a polishing cloth and stored away from the sun and other jewelry that may scratch it; it will remain shiny for a very long time. Abrasive cleaners should only be used in case of an emergency or excessive tarnish.

Silver jewelry should be kept in a cool location and stored in separate containers. This will prevent them from scratching one another and from being scratched by other jewelry. Taking care of silver jewelry is easy and inexpensive. With proper care and polishing of your jewelry, you will be able to enjoy it for many, many years.