The Beauty of Handcrafted Sterling Silver
While there are 101 reasons as to why buying anything handcrafted is a better idea than going down the commercial design route, there is one key thing that makes handcrafted jewelry the best and what makes it the best? Every piece is different and unique from the rest. However, online buyers are often misled by the sellers with the quality of product or even the material of the product. A lot of "sterling silver" pieces are a piece of stone sitting on top of a shiny piece of plastic or cheap metal.
Why Isn’t Sterling Silver 100% Pure? So, what should you be looking for when purchasing any kind of type of premier design jewelry? Well, if you are looking for quality sterling silver pieces, make sure it is .925 or 92.5 percent sterling silver - that is the official amount of pure silver in a quality piece of handcrafted jewelry. But don't worry about that 7.5 percent containing other metals (usually copper) because that's a standard in everything from plain silver rings to gorgeous pendants. That’s why most, if not all, sterling silver accessories are engraved with a .925 on the back for verification. Though do not be upset with the fact that your sterling silver accessories are mixed with another metal as there is a science to handcrafting jewelry and Silver 101 is that it is a very pliable metal. Therefore adding another metal, such as copper, is ensuring the quality and durability of your jewelry. People often question why people worry so much with the quality of the jewelry they are purchasing online since it's pretty much a gamble from the start. However, consumers deserve to have the respect of the seller and all the consumer is going off is the seller's claim that they will receive the product in their desired quality. Now, do not let all those anti-online jewelry purchasing people get your hopes up, because there are plenty online jewelry retailers that can provide you with the highest of quality in handmade sterling silver accessories. If you happen to purchase handcrafted, sterling silver accessories and they are not engraved with the .925 - well, that's when you can make the angry phone call; else wise just enjoy the joy of owning a small piece of premier design jewelry.