Are you ready to learn more about one of the most popular jewelry materials traded today, sterling silver?
Fasten your seat belt, because here will be both enlightening and biased information about sterling silver.
1. Is sterling silver real silver? yes, with a twist
That sterling silver is not 100% pure silver has been a well-known secret among dealers and us sterling silver wearers for many years, so maybe you already knew this?
The reason why sterling silver is a mixed metal is because silver itself is a relatively soft metal and this means that your jewelery bends more easily and thereby loses shape and strength. Precisely this problem is why sterling silver was produced in its time.
Here it was found that if you took silver and mixed it with copper or zinc in the ratio of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper/zinc, the jewelry would become much stronger in its structure and thereby become more resistant and clear the hardships of everyday life.
2. Silver is one of the most reflective metals available
uuuuh yes, it's something we like!
Is there anything better than shiny jewelry that looks like a million. No, there isn't.
Silver has a reflectivity of 95%, which means that silver reflects 95% of the visible light spectrum. It sounds absolutely fantastic! or so you think "yeah okay, erm cool"
But it's cool! Because what it tells you is that if you take care of your sterling jewelry and make sure to clean it with either sterling silver cleaner orpolish , or plain lukewarm water, you can be sure that people will notice your shiny jewelry when you wear them in everyday life and for events.
RANDOM FACT ALERT!
Silver is so good at reflecting light that it is used on mirrors, telescopes and microscopes.
3. Why does sterling silver oxidize?
This is due to many things. The thing about sterling silver is that it is a mixed metal, and this means that you will also often experience that your silver jewelry will tarnish and become dark on the surface and lose its shine quietly as time goes by.
This may be due to some unavoidable factors that we expose ourselves and our jewelry to every day.
This may be due to some unavoidable factors that we expose ourselves and our jewelry to every day.
As soon as sterling silver is exposed to the sulfur in the air, the oxidation process starts in the silver metal. It could also be that you are one of those who have a high acid content in the body. This will also start the oxidation process. Is it humid? - yes, it is here in Denmark! Then it is also a kickstarter for the oxidation process.
Oxidation of jewelry metals, practically impossible to avoid.
And you may be thinking "oh no, then I shouldn't have sterling silver jewellery".
To that, I would say. Yes, you should, because sterling jewelery is fortunately easy to keep looking good. In fact, many people find that this oxidation happens over a long period of time, and the sterling jewelery only needs to be cleaned a few times during the year.
If you have some jewelery that needs to be polished up and given a loving hand, I can highly recommend our universal cleaner for jewelery as well as ourpolishing cloth or sponge .
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