Buying and Caring for Sterling Silver Bead Bracelets
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While less expensive and less sought after than gold or platinum, sterling silver has its own unique appeal. Along with that appeal comes a history. There is evidence of silver being used to make jewelry that dates back to ancient times. Technologies that have been invented throughout history has greatly increased theamount of silver that has been mined since the eighteenth century.
Silver in its purest form is very soft. It is too soft to be used to create durable jewelry. It is malleable and can be bent and misshapen quite easily. Because of these qualities, silver is mixed with other metals to enhance its qualities to be better for jewelry making. Once mixed with specific other metals, sterling silver is made. The most commonly used additive metal is copper. Sterling silver jewelry is stamped so you can be assured of the percentage of silver in the jewelry.
You want to store your sterling silver jewelry in tarnish prevention cloths or bags. The treated cloths slow the tarnishing process. Tarnished silver loses its shine and it can take quite a bit of work to restore it. The cloths also block the beads from rubbing up against each other causing scratches. Remember that sterling silver, despite the alloy mixture, is a relatively soft metal.
The ideal choice for cleaning the sterling silver bead bracelet is use of polishing cloths. Some people recommend using toothpaste to clean the silver beads but that should be avoided. Toothpaste is harsh and can leave scratches.
A top reason for the popularity of sterling silver jewelry is its affordability. Bead bracelets, or charm bracelets, are increasingly commonplace and are very affordable on nearly every budget. With nearly everyone experiencing some kind of personal financial hardship, affordability carries a key significance on jewelry purchases. Affordability combined with beauty is a wonderful combination. According to published research, one of the greatest determining factor for potential jewelry purchases is household income.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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