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Silver (Ag), chemical element, a white lustrous metal valued for its decorative beauty and electrical conductivity.
Sterling silver contains 92.5 percent of silver and 7.5 percent of another metal, usually copper; i.e., it has a fineness of 925. Jewelry silver is an alloy containing 80 percent silver and 20 percent copper (800 fine). The yellow gold that is used in jewelry is composed of 53 percent gold, 25 percent silver, and 22 percent copper.
Properties, Uses, And Occurrence
Together with gold and the platinum-group metals, silver is one of the so-called precious metals. Because of its comparative scarcity, brilliant white color, malleability, ductility, and resistance to atmospheric oxidation, silver has long been used in the manufacture of coins, ornaments, and jewelry.
Properties, Uses, And Occurrence History of Jewelry Making
The human interest in personal adornment by use of metals has a rich, deep history that spans every culture on Earth. Today, jewelry is mass-produced and is worn casually on a day-to-day basis, but thousands of years ago the use of personal jewelry had a different meaning.
Historically, a major use of silver has been monetary, in the form of reserves of silver bullion and in coins.
Silver ornaments and decorations have been found in royal tombs dating back as far as 4000 BCE. It is probable that both gold and silver were used as money by 800 BCE in all countries between the Indus and the Nile. After gold, silver is the metal most widely used in jewelry and the most malleable. Although known during the Copper Age, silver made only rare appearances in jewelry before the Classical age.
Around 1400 BCE the Greeks began to used silver with gemstones in their jewelry, and perfected casting and hammering techniques. The Roman Empire borrowed techniques and styles from other cultures such as the Greeks, and began using the brooch regularly to secure their clothing. Women would wear necklaces, rings and earrings to decorate themselves, however men mostly wore only rings.
In general, silver was, and still is, used in jewelry for economic reasons.
Jewelry-making techniques that have been used for centuries are still practiced today. The trade demands a certain skillset that few people have, and many tradesmen who make jewelry domestically in Greece have learned their techniques by apprenticing their mentors, or by learning methods that have been passed down through their family for generations. In our modern world, it is uplifting to know that we can still purchase precious heirlooms that are made by hand using ancient skills that only some acquire.