| What Is Sterling Silver? Silver is a popular metal used in jewelry. It is often called 'sterling' silver because of its purity. Sterling silver must be 92.5% silver to be legally considered sterling, so when you see items say simply say 'silver', you know that it has a lower percentage of silver and has been alloyed (mixed) with other metals. Sterling silver is a great choice for fashion jewelry, due to its low price and its very low incidence of allergic reactions in children and people with sensitive skin. However, because of its purity, it’s less durable than gold and other precious metals. Sterling silver does not change color. However, it does tarnish. The tarnish is like a top layer of dirt that can simply be wiped off with a silver polishing cloth. In chains or other intricate jewelry, it’s difficult to wipe designs with cloth. In cases such as those, we have special cleaners and polishers that our jeweler uses to clean and polish your jewelry. |