One of the things that hooked me and keeps me addicted to jewellery is the connection to ancient civilisations and traditions, the longevity of the materials and the abilty to melt and rework these materials into something new.
Silver was first mined around 3000 BCE in what is now known as Türkiye (that's 5000 years ago!) so it has been a part of human civilisation for as long we can possibly imagine.
Over time silver has been used as currency, to create jewellery and tableware/cutlery, and more recently has many industrial applications such as photography, solar panels, electric vehicles, electrical conductors and medical instruments.
To make jewellery silver (92.5%) is alloyed (mixed in liquid form) with copper (7.5%) to make what we all know as sterling silver - this mix being standardised in 12th century England. Pieces will be stamped with 925 which means 925/1000 parts are silver. Copper is a funny metal - by itself it is quite soft and maleable, but when added to precious metals it makes these fine materials more durable and "hard".
With a soft, cool grey colour and high level of durability, silver is both a beautiful material to work with and wear daily. You can clean your silver jewellery with specialised cloths, paste or dip (dependant on the style) that we stock in store for your convenience. We are also happy to advise on the best way to clean your special pieces and can also do some more detailed cleaning of silver jewellery in store.
Fun facts:
- melting point 960 degrees C
- the most reflective elemental metal
- the most heat & electrically conductive elemental metal
- the most abundant of all the precious metals
