| Silver jewelry never goes out of fashion. Many people | | | | example on the inside of a ring or an earring, which |
| prefer silver to gold, and it is a much more affordable | | | | states the product, is 92.5 pure or sterling silver. The |
| choice. Silver is used in most types of jewelry, often | | | | numbers 92.5 or sometimes 925 are used to indicate |
| combined with beautiful gemstones. If you are about to | | | | the minimum silver content in the product. |
| buy sterling silver earrings or hoop earrings, here is a | | | | An unfortunate side effect of using copper in the blend |
| guide to buying quality silver. | | | | is that your silver jewelry can become darker over |
| Pure silver is usually mixed with a variety of metals to | | | | time, a common problem with silver items that contain |
| make it more durable and harder. Because pure silver | | | | some copper. It is possible to get rid of at least some |
| is too soft for making quality jewelry, metals including | | | | of the dark staining by polishing your jewelry pieces |
| copper are mixed with pure silver, which creates an | | | | regularly. When cleaning any silver items, always use a |
| alloy. Sterling silver is one of the most common types | | | | soft polishing cloth. Toothpaste is sometimes |
| of these alloys and is very popular in jewelry making. It | | | | recommended for cleaning silver, although many |
| is used for silver hoop earrings, necklaces, bracelets, | | | | experts also warn that it can scratch the jewelry. In |
| rings and a variety of jewelry. Copper is often used in | | | | some countries and cultures, a specific tooth cleaning |
| the alloy because of its ability to make the product | | | | powder is used for cleaning darkened silver. |
| harder. | | | | Your decision to purchase silver hoop earrings is a |
| For a piece of silver jewelry to be sold as sterling | | | | popular one, just look at any fashion magazine or |
| silver, solid silver or even labeled as "silver", it has to | | | | celebrity column, you'll notice the hoop style is making a |
| contain a minimum of 92.5 % of pure silver. You can | | | | come back in a big way. |
| usually find a small marking on the jewelry, for | | | | |