Choosing and Caring for Silver Jewellery

Since the dawn of time, women have been attracted to beautiful things, and have wanted to look good. It's no wonder that jewellery ranks as one of the top accessories women favor in the quest to look their best. Silver is a great addition to your jewellery collection and can be dressed up in many different ways. Silver is a precious metal that is easily manipulated to form various shapes, according to what you want to achieve. Due to its semi-durability, it's mixed with a bit of copper to strengthen and protect it from damage. This means that great care should be taken to maintain the original shine and look of your silver jewellery.

When shopping for silver jewellery, make sure that the type you're looking for is sterling silver. Check that the silver is actually sterling by looking for the number .925 engraved on the jewellery. What this means is that 92.5 percent of the jewellery is pure silver, with a bit of copper and nickel added in. What you want to avoid is any jewellery that is 'silver plated' because, quite simply, this is just metal with a coating of silver, and with time, the coating will wear away and reveal the inferior metal underneath.

Silver jewellery is a great way of adorning any outfit, and is perfect for all occasions. Some tips for caring for it include: never swim in your silver jewellery. The silver will react with the chlorine or other minerals in the water and fade much faster with time. When you're out of the shower and preparing yourself to leave the house, don't lotion yourself up with your silver ring, bracelets or earrings on. They should be the last thing you put on.

Remove your jewellery and keep it safe before working out at the gym to avoid discoloration. It's a good idea to invest in a silk pouch that will serve as somewhere you'll store your silver jewellery when you're not wearing it, protecting it from scratches and accidental bumps. Regularly polish and clean your silver jewellery. You can easily do this with warm water and a soft cloth every so often, and then polishing it using a specially prepared lacquer that you can find in most jewellery shops.

Before buying silver jewellery, make sure that you're not allergic to it. Most people don't know what it is that they're allergic to when they get a reaction from wearing jewellery. In most cases, silver allergy is in fact due to the other metals that are found in sterling silver jewellery. You could speak to your doctor about this and ask for a test to confirm this allergy.Silver is always relatively low in price, especially in comparison to gold, so it won't put a dent in your finances. It looks good and gives that extra sparkle to an outfit, making you stand out. Silver jewellery is a perfect gift idea that will bring a smile to the person receiving it, and will carry memories of fondness for years to come.