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This article will provide all what you need to know about the 92.5% silver and the sterling silver jewelry. Questions like "does sterling silver tarnish?" have become lately common and l am happy to answer that and all other possible questions about the 92.5 silver, and most importantly the sterling silver rings. Find out more about the sterling silver charms and the sterling silver rings.
WHAT'S THE 92.5 SILVER?
Let's begin from the fundamental meaning of the 92.5 silver and the other types of silver that exist.
- MEANING OF THE STERLING SILVER
The 92.5 silver otherwise called 92.5 sterling silver refers to silver metals that contain a silver content of 92.5% and an alloy (copper or any other metal) of 7.5%. The 92.5% represents the silver purity and it's the required minimum silver purity for silverwares such as the expected 999 gold purity. The pure silver has a characteristic texture which is very soft, thus highly-susceptible to scratching.
Therefore, pure silver is unsuitable for the exaggerated requirements of fine craftsmanship and the increasingly rich modelling industry of modern popular jewelry. Likewise, pure silver tarnishes easily, thereby changing colour. On the other hand, a typical sterling silver with the added 7.5% alloy possesses characteristic brightness, gloss, oxidation-resistance, quality and can be inlaid with gemstones.
These unique features of the 92.5 sterling silver account for its wide usage for sterling silver jewelry like the sterling silver rings and it easily sells worldwide. Unsurprisingly, the sterling silver jewelry also has attractive features like bright colour, fashionable taste, exquisite craftsmanship, unique style and affordable prices.
- The 99.9 Silver and the 99.0 Silver
Another type of silver is the purest form of silver which has a silver content of 99.9. The 99.9 silver oxidizes easily to black and therefore must be worn with utmost care.
The 99.0 silver as the second purest silver with a silver content of 99.0% is relatively soft and suitable for making silver charms.
STERLING SILVER JEWELRY CARE; HOW TO CARE FOR A TYPICAL STERLING SILVER RING
Without proper care, a luxurious sterling silver can lose its sheen. Also, exposure to oxygen or sulfur can tarnish a sterling silver jewelry's luster. Therefore, caring routinely for your sterling silver charms will keep them in excellent conditions for years. To get the most of your silver jewelry, here is how to maintain your sterling silver ring in the best way.
- The Daily Maintenance Method
- Apply a little quantity of toothpaste on the sterling silver ring, add a little amount of water, and rub the 92.5 silver with a small cloth to form white bubbles. Then rinse the sterling silver ring with clean water to restore its brightness. Ensure you don't rub the sterling silver ring with a hard material such as a hard toothbrush which can tarnish the soft sterling silver ring's lustre.
- The best silverware maintenance method is to wear your silver ring daily as a result of the body's oil which will give the silver a warm and natural luster. Even though the human sweat itself contains ingredients that can blacken the silver.
- And if you notice any yellowing signs on your sterling silver ring, then use a small jewelry brush to clean the fine seams of the sterling silver ring and apply a small silver lotion on the ring. Thereafter, wipe off the black oxide formed on the sterling silver ring's surface with a wiping silver cloth to restore the sterling silver ring's shiny appearance.
- A gold-plated sterling silver ring rusts and turns to black upon contact with acidic solutions such as sweat, perfume, and hot springs. Your body's sweat acidity or alkalinity can also affect the sterling silver ring's surface. Avoid direct sunlight and dust on your sterling silver ring and keep in a sealed sterling silver bag( with a layer of plastic wrap), when not in use.
- Wipe the sealed bag frequently to prevent darkening of your sterling silver ring. Apply a small packet of desiccant in the jewelry box to avoid moisture.
ALLERGIES AND REACTIONS
The Center for disease control prevention estimates that about twenty percent of the world's population is allergic to nickel. Fortunately, the alloys for sterling silver are copper, germanium, platinum and zinc. You can therefore rest assured that wearing your sterling silver jewelry wouldn't harm your skin.
However, some people naively assume they are allergic to silver which is untrue in all of Its entirety. You can only get allergic to "fake silver" which is copper-plated silver to be precise. Of course, some friends are not encouraged to wear silver jewelry due to their skin's acidic constitution.
Nonetheless, such an acidic constitution will only oxidize the sterling silver to black and doesn't cause any allergy. The wearer won't develop any other uncomfortable skin reactions.
STAINLESS STEEL VS STERLING SILVER
I recently overheard a heated discussion that bordered on a sharp argument between a man and his fiance about the choice of their engagement's metal rings. They spent quite a substantial period of time debating hotly and couldn't even arrive at a definite agreement. Bone of contention? Stainless steel vs sterling silver was their subject of disagreement.
Sadly, that's a debate as old as the world itself when it comes to jewelry. A good reason why some people prefer stainless steel jewelry is due to its texture. The texture is tough and resistant to corrosion. Unlike silver jewelry, stainless steel won't turn black nor cause allergies like the copper Jewelry. Stainless steel possesses a permanent tone at room temperature and is not toxic like lead alloy jewelry.
Likewise, the stainless steel accessories contain the same material internally and externally, and have passed the artificial sweat test. They're also characterized by zero-corrosion, strong acid and alkali resistance, no colour change, no allergy, and deformation-resistance. Stainless steel jewelry is a green high-end environmental jewelry that doesn't cause any harm or side effects to the human body.
However, despite these qualities of the stainless steel, we've to admit that sterling silver supersedes stainless steel for jewelry usage. Even though stainless steel can be designed to imitate the sterling silver jewelries, yet it is far from seamlessness in the carving of complex styles. In the same vein, stainless steel's typical durability comes at the cost of its rigidity, making it very difficult to repair or resize.
Once it gets damaged, you can either get it remade which can be sometimes difficult or rather recycle. Also, sterling silver is more precious than the stainless steel in terms of value. Therefore, if you prefer valuable accessories, then choosing sterling silver jewelries would be a better choice. All the same, if you prefer durability, and you feel maintenance is troublesome, then I would professionally recommend you go for the 316L stainless steel jewelry instead.