Sterling silver has been used throughout the ages by master craftspeople to make jewellery, as well as many other useful and decorative items. Silver has been used in the making of jewellery by many civilisations for thousands of years. It is used for jewellery production because it is a soft, malleable element that is versatile and can be polished to high shine, engraved with designs, or set with precious stones.
At Shadowsphere we sell sterling silver necklaces, pendants, anklets, chains and bracelets. Some of our sterling silver is set with precious gems such as opals, pearls or amethyst.

What is sterling silver?

Sterling silver is an alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. In most countries, precious metals must be stamped with a quality mark such as "925" for sterling. Pure silver is a very soft metal in its natural state, which makes it easier to craft, but this also means that due to this softness, it can become misshapen or scratch easily. As it is considered too soft to be used in the making of jewellery, pure silver is mixed with other metals to make it more durable and harder wearing. The most common and popular of these alloys is Sterling Silver. The .925 mark on any sterling silver jewellery item means that it contains at least 92.5% pure silver.

Will silver turn my skin green?

If you have a natural high acidity level in your skin, it is possible for your finger may look green after wearing sterling silver jewellery. That does not mean that there is a fault with the silver or the manufacture of the silver jewellery. The green is actually caused by oxidisation, and all silver will oxidise. The oxidisation produced is also what gives silver a tarnished look. To find information on how to keep your sterling silver jewellery looking great, visit our jewellery care page.