Gifts are Going Silver

There are a million things you can give someone on scores of occasions. You can give your friends airplanes like Elvis did, or you can give a gift of sterling silver jewelry. You can be sure it will be received with as much enthusiasm as would airplanes. There are a lot of things that come in between. Jewelry itself holds many and numerous possibilities. Silver jewelry, we daresay, holds a place of its own by being trendy, fashionable and, most of all, inexpensive. Gone are the days when silver jewelry was looked down upon. With the economic condition being on the brink for many people, silver ornaments have gained a respectable place in the life of man.

Contrary to popular belief, silver is harder than gold to touch when it is transformed into sterling silver and sterling silver jewelry is even harder, so you can be sure that your gift will remain in circulation for long. Unless, of course, in the unlikely event of the recipient losing it, or throwing it away.

Silver jewelry has the facility to look businesslike as well as casual. It can transform itself into something serious and be at home as part of a millionaire's attire. It can also take the look of a casual wearer like a college student on a night out. The sophisticated aura of the rich man will rub off on sterling silver jewelry and enhance its appeal. The college kid will pass on his casual attitude to the silver jewelry, thereby making him blend in with the general atmosphere. That is the malleability of silver jewelry. It can thus be an ideal gift to both high end business people and low end and frivolous teenagers. The people who fall between the two categories too can be brought into an amenable lot.

No wedding is complete without a wedding ring. Many a couple these days prefer inexpensive yet trendy silver jewelry to traditional gold and diamonds. We would like to congratulate them for their sensible decision. If you give them a silver wedding ring, it would be just the thing they need. You may even give the attendants a thoughtful set of silver jewelry at a little extra cost, but the goodwill you earn will surely be immense.

Before buying a gift, however, you would do well to try and find out what silver jewelry the intended recipient already owns. This way, you can make a gift of something he/she does not already have in his/her possession.

How to Ensure that the Sterling Silver Jewelry is Genuine

For a long time, silver has been used to bring an aura of class to the wearer. As far as making a fashion statement is concerned, sterling silver jewelry does it beautifully - as long as it is genuine. It would be very embarrassing to buy fake sterling silver jewelry and have it fade in glamour, compared to the genuine ones. Ensuring that you have bought genuine sterling silver jewelry will enhance your social standing and it will also give you value for your money. In any case, you will feel more confident with the genuine type.

Unfortunately, there is no shortage of fake silver jewelry on the market. It is therefore important that you are careful when you are buying the jewelry. That notwithstanding, there are ways in which you can ensure that the piece you have is of the genuine type. The following is an outline of these tips:

• Carrying out the acid test - due to the influx of cheap imitations of sterling silver jewelry in the market, it has become imperative that consumers take a lot of care when they are buying this precious metal. A nitric acid test can be used to determine the authenticity of the jewelry. You can do the test by on your own, although it is highly recommended that you leave it to a jeweler, as he has the necessary expertise. Rubbing a small portion of the silver jewelry vigorously and then applying small amounts of nitric acid will determine the genuineness of the piece. Authentic pieces will produce a cloudy grey color, while fakes turn the liquid green. It is important however that you use a part that would not be noticed easily.
• Relate to the stamp law - it is important that you acknowledge that the law has made it obligatory that silver jewelry makers incorporate a 925 stamp on their pieces. The 925 signifies that the piece has 92.5 % silver. Alternatively, it could be stamped ‘sterling’. It is important to note that the stamp could be at any point and therefore you need to check carefully.
• Buying only from vendors of repute - getting the sterling silver jewelry from vendors of good repute is important as far as ensuring that the pieces are genuine. It would definitely be important that you do some research to help you in this endeavor. Consulting friends and relatives could help you in this.

How to Choose Sterling Silver Jewelry for Christmas

Each year, there are a lot of festivities at the Christmas period. It is at this time that people exchange various gifts that are opened on Boxing Day. Sterling silver jewelry is among the best gifts that one can offer during Christmas. Offering jewelry is an indication of emotion. Jewelry also shows the character of a person, personal accomplishment, life habits and psychological quality.

The kind of jewelry that is offered to different people varies greatly depending on the person and the relationship between the two. It is important to take time and choose the suitable jewelry. The age of the person who is going to receive the gift should be among the top considerations. People are in several age groups like adults, teenagers, children or babies.

The adults can either be young, old or middle aged. Each age group needs a type of jewelry that is special. The natural choice of jewelry for the old is that which is made of silver. This is the same for the middle-aged people. Although the young adults and teenagers like trying various types of fashionable jewelry, silver jewelry has not escaped their attention and it is something that one can comfortably send to someone special on Christmas Day.

When offering jewelry as a gift, it is vital to find the kind that is shiny and will maintain the original look for a long time. No one feels good if the jewelry tarnishes soon after it is worn. It is important to determine if the jewelry that is on sale is made of genuine silver. The law demands that metal should be marked by marker and metal quality. For sterling, this mark will be 925 (which means that is 92.5 percent silver which is the sterling) or “sterling" stamped in words.

The mark can be placed close to the clasp or at the chain’s end. The mark is also placed on a ring, hence it is better to check around. It is possible to tell whether jewelry is made of sterling silver by testing it. An acid test can be done by the jeweler. This means that the buyer has to pay extra cash for this service.

Although the test does not cost a lot of money some feel that it is not worth it. However this depends on the amount paid for the silver jewelry. The safest bet when buying silver jewelry as a Christmas gift is to shop at established stores. Such stores cannot risk losing their reputation by selling fake items.