3 Silver Myths Debunked
Silver has been trendy for years and used in jewelry and various applications and functions. Although there have been many trend changes regarding silver, sterling silver has remained fairly consistent with time because it is simple to maintain and has various available designs. Since this precious metal has been around for centuries, it has accumulated many opinions over the years. However, many of these are invalid and based on myths.
Let’s debunk three silver myths in this article.
1. Pure Silver and Sterling Silver Are Identical
One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that pure silver and sterling silver are identical. Pure silver has a purity of 99.9%, which is as pure as you can expect any precious metal to be. However, pure silver can be difficult to shape into various forms due to its softness, which is why it’s typically mixed with different metals to increase its hardness, making it easier to shape.
Adding different metals to silver makes it less pure, and sterling silver contains 7.5% copper, reducing the purity of silver down to 92.5%. Another word for sterling silver is 925 silver, referring to the percentage purity of the precious metal. For most purposes, sterling silver is preferred since it is cheaper and easily molded into various forms. One disadvantage of purchasing sterling silver is that it needs to be polished frequently due to its lack of resistance to oxidation.
2. Silver Jewelry Will Always Tarnish
Many people seem to accept that investing in silver coins is susceptible to tarnishing over time. Although this is true, you can still employ many methods that slow this process down considerably. If you prioritize your silver jewelry’s maintenance, you will find that it will not tarnish significantly with time. Cleaning and caring for your jewelry takes a dedicated approach, and you can search for specific techniques that help you maintain your jewelry’s luster.
However, the good thing about tarnishing is that it does not permeate into deeper layers like rust. Only the added metals start to corrode with time, while the silver remains unaffected.
3. Silver is not a Valuable Metal
Silver falls into the category of precious metals and tends to perform fairly well during inflation and volatile times. It is used in jewelry and serves many important functions in electronics and photography. Some myths have surfaced over the years that silver is not a valuable metal because it is much cheaper than gold, as if that’s the only point of comparison. Jewelry is more than just about how much an item costs. It also depends on its appearance. Silver has a beautiful color and shine, making it a highly desirable and valuable metal for millions of people worldwide.
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