about SILVER and sterling silver

WHAT IS SILVER?

Overview

Silver is one of the elements (something that does not break down into other chemical components).  It is represented with the symbol "Ag," which stands for "argentum" -- the Latin word for both money and silver. Silver is valued in jewelry because it is very shiny when polished, reflecting all but 5% of light, and easily shaped (malleable).

Uses of Silver

Silver has many uses beyond jewelry.  Did you know that less than 30 percent of silver is used in jewelry? About one-half of all silver produced is used for industrial purposes.  No metal conducts electricity better than silver, which is why it is used in electronic devices (your cell phone, for example), solar panels, and many other gadgets. Silver is also used in photographic film, some medical products, dentistry, adhesives, and other things.

Silver Mining

Silver is found throughout the world. It is mined in the U.S. and Canada, South and Central America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and other locales. Most of the silver produced is a byproduct of copper and lead mining operations in North American, Russia and Australia. At the same time, silver is very rare and precious.  Only 0.0001 percent of the earth's crust is silver.  Silver is most likely to be found in the mineral argentite.

WHAT IS STERLING SILVER?

Composition of Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is an alloy consisting of not less than 92.5% silver and 7.5% of some other metal, usually copper.  Copper, nickel or other metals are added to make the alloy less prone to breakage and scratching.  Sterling silver made of silver and copper is about twice as strong as pure silver.

The 92.5% silver content standard for "sterling" originates in 14th Century England, where King Edward I decreed that silver coins must be stamped with its silver content.  In time, the 92.5 stamp came to be known as "sterling" and the rest is history.

Perhaps as a result of this successful effort to control the quality of silver items, the term "sterling" itself has come to mean "of the highest quality" (for example, "She has a sterling reputation.")

History

Sterling silver has been around for nearly as long as silver - at least 60 centuries.  Over the centuries silver has been combined with other metals to make it stronger.  Eventually, it was concluded that copper is the preferred mate for silver.  While jewelry styles may come and go, sterling silver has always been an alloy of choice to jewelry makers, and probably always well be.

Over the years, sterling silver has also been valued for reasons beyond its beauty.  Some cultures have attributed healing properties to it, while others have believed that it could bring good luck or thwart the efforts of evil spirits.

Throughout Asia, silver has long been equated with status and wealth.  In ancient Egypt silver was more valuable than even gold.  Over time, silver became an alloy that even those without great wealth could afford, usually as jewelry. One did not need to be born with the proverbial "silver spoon" in his or her mouth to have a sterling silver adornment.

Sterling silver is also equated in some cultures with certain ceremonials or milestones.  For example, Germany is generally credited with treating the 25th wedding anniversary as the "silver anniversary."