Silver beads have been prized for centuries for their elegance and ability to compliment almost any other combination of decoration. But there is a clear difference between silver and sterling silver.

Sterling silver is commonly referred to as pure silver, but is in fact a silver alloy. Pure silver is designated as 99.9% pure, but this purity tends to make the metal very soft. In jewellery applications, this can mean that delicate work is easily damaged or broken through the slightest of knocks. Adding another base metal to the silver gives it greater durability and strength. Sterling silver has this additional alloy and is only 92.5% silver. The additional metal is usually copper (7.5%).

Adding this percentage of copper or other base metal means that the silver can be worked in more detail and turned into different shapes, perfect for bead-making. All sterling silver carries a stamp, denoting its country of origin.

Silver beads are used in almost every type of jewellery, from simple necklaces to modern body jewellery. A silver necklace carries with it an air of sophistication and elegance, particularly if the silver beads are offset with other precious or semi-precious stones or pearls. Silver has never gone out of fashion; its popularity is helped by its ability to offer elegance and quality at a fraction of the cost of the equivalent in gold. It is resistant to tarnishing, needing only to be gently cleaned occasionally to restore its beauty.

Necklaces are not the only use of silver beads in jewellery. Because of the huge range of designs available, they can be used in earrings, bracelets and cuffs to match a simple but stylish necklace. Silver beads can also be incorporated into all kinds of applications, such as embroidering onto clothing or bags, or even evening wear shoes. Designers across the world continue to be captivated by the myriad of uses that silver beads have in fashion and couture, with the top designer houses often including beading in their collections.

Silver has the advantage of being the 'black' of jewellery in fashion terms - it goes with practically anything. A delicate, silver bead necklace can casually compliment a simple outfit of jeans and tee shirt. That same necklace can be worn with a cocktail dress with equal flair and finesse. A handful of silver beads, a well-thought out design and a little bit of patience can produce something that is unique and timeless. The best way to begin to incorporate silver beads into your jewellery making is to buy a small selection and let your imagination loose. The results will be uniquely yours and always a favourite part of your jewellery collection, no matter what the occasion.

Adam Hunter - E-commerce Marketing Manager of cooksongold.com. Cookson Precious Metals offer a choice of jewelery making supplies from over 10,000 products including gold and silver wire, silver jewelery findings, tools, precious metal clay and gold and silver sheet - gold, silver, platinum and palladium plus technical information for jewellers, jobbers, designer, craftsmen, artisans and students.

The addition of a new baby to a family is worth commemorating with a special keepsake. At a baby shower or a first birthday party, parents often receive practical gifts such as baby clothes, blankets, strollers and cribs. But it is also perfectly appropriate to give the parents a collectible memento of this special time in their child's life. There are many different types of keepsakes available for baby showers, including picture frames and ceramic figurines. Baby gifts in silver are a wonderfully elegant gesture for the baby's parents, and if chosen carefully can be something that they will always treasure.

When you're shopping for a silver baby gift, you'll have a few different types of keepsakes to choose from. For a first baby, a silver rattle is a classic choice. Of course the baby will probably never lay a finger on the rattle until much later in life, but the parents will appreciate a gracious and timeless gift that makes a wonderful heirloom. For the birth of a first baby when you know that the parents are planning a large family, look for silver baby gifts that can be easily repeated for future siblings. For example, a silver ornament in a popular shape can be engraved with the baby's name and birthday. If you choose a silver ornament in the shape of a stork, a heart or a baby shoe, you can be sure that you will be able to find similar ornaments for later children. This will create a set of matching but not identical keepsakes for a set of siblings.

Engraved silver jewelry is also a great gift for the mother of the baby. A silver charm bracelet will allow you to give a silver charm engraved with the baby's name along with other baby-related silver charms, such as rattles, alphabet blocks or stuffed toys. Charm bracelets are extremely versatile and are another example of a gift that can be repeated for additional children. A mother with a large family will eventually have the original silver bracelet you gave her and all the charms commemorating the births of her children. Also available are silver pendants that can be engraved at the jewelers shop. Like silver charms, silver pendants can be added to a single necklace for a growing family. You might even be able to find a silver pendant with the baby's birthstone.

The most important consideration in choosing a silver baby gift is what the recipient would prefer. Above all, you want your silver baby gift to be a reminder of the special birth of a child, so you don't want it to be forgotten in a box. If you know that the mother of the baby doesn't wear jewelry, it would be better to give an engraved figurine or ornament rather than a bracelet or necklace. As long as you put some thought into your choice of a silver baby gift, you can be sure that your keepsake will always have a place in the family's heart.

Jon Kelly is a published author who writes on many diverse subjects that includes advice on toddlers and babies. We hope to provide you with information you can rely on. To find out more please visit: http://www.greatbabysupplies.com.

Next to gold, silver is the second most popular metal from which jewelry is made. Silver jewelry and household items have been discovered in ancient Egyptian tombs and 5,000-year-old civilizations buried by time. Because it is a metal soft enough to be bent, hammered, and melted, it has been used in combination with other metals to craft items from personal adornments to weapons that brought down empires.

Like gold, silver alone is too malleable to hold its shape and needs to be combined in alloys with other metals, usually copper. Silver alloys are expressed in parts per 1000. Britannia silver is 958 units silver, or 95.8% pure silver. Sterling is 925 units silver, or 92.5% pure silver.

The amount of copper mixed with silver does not seem to determine the pricing; it really depends on the workmanship of the piece, whether it is sterling silver table flatware or a silver ring or pendant. If it is a unique, one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry designed by a silver artisan and cast by the lost wax method, it will be more expensive than a ring, pendant, or cross that is cast with reusable molds. In addition, the craftsmanship in finishing and polishing the item will influence the cost, as will the addition of any gems or stones in the design.

More plentiful worldwide than gold, silver is often found in mining with other metals, such as copper, lead, and arsenic. Its properties of high electrical and thermal conductivity and low contact resistance makes it useful in technology manufacturing. Combined with nitrate, it is photosensitive and is used to develop film. Combined with other chemical compounds, it is used for batteries, cloud seeding, explosives, medicine, instruments, and many other uses. Probably the most common use of silver is in coins worldwide.

In spite of the availability of silver, the high demand in uses other than jewelry keep the price of silver relatively high, but not as high as for gold. As of October 2008, silver is worth about 1/75th the price of gold by mass.

Often sterling silver is the base metal over which gold electroplating is placed, because it is less likely to distort or be damaged than pure gold. Sterling silver jewelry can be plated with a coat of 99% pure silver to give it more shine, called "flashing." Or, to keep it from tarnishing, a thin coat of a very rare metal called rhodium may be electroplated over a silver ring, for instance, for a very bright, white shine.

The popularity of combining silver with turquoise, agate, lapis lazuli and other semi precious stones continues today and is a typical Southwestern jewelry style.

Silver has many practical uses, but the greatest use is for silver jewelry designed into rings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants and crosses.

Beautiful personalized sterling silver jewelry and sterling with gold overlay can be seen at https://www.personalized-jewelry.com

Each http://www.Personalized-Jewelry.com item is made to your exact specifications and made even more special with the personalization you choose. Create your custom piece to include a loved one's name, a wedding date, a birth date, religious occasion or words that inspire or touch your heart.

Silver has been a popular choice of metal, aside from gold, in the manufacturing of jewellery. In fact, it has gain popularity over the years since silver is undeniably cheaper than gold. But even with its relatively affordable price, silver is very pretty to look at. That is why it is used to make different jewelry such as bracelets, earrings, necklaces and so much more. There is a wide range of men's silver jewelry to choose from especially in online shops.

Silver has an exciting property in that it reflects 95% of the light that gets to its surface. It such a beauty to look at since it sparkles even with any type of light that falls on it. This reflective property of silver makes is one of the reasons why it is a popular metal to use for accessories. Another property of silver that is to the materials advantage is that it is one of the softest metals and is very malleable. Silver can be made into different shapes and have the property to be melted then cooled and reformed. It can also be pounded into very thin sheets that is even thinner than human hair. Silver has another interesting property which is called alloying. Alloying means that pure silver can be mixed with other metals for more durability, for example mixing silver and copper creates what is called as sterling silver.

Sterling silver is the silver that is used for men's silver jewellery. Because silver is soft, as mentioned, sterling being 92.5% silver is the best option to use for jewelry and silverware as it can withstand daily use. Even if sterling may not be pure silver, it is very strong yet workable. It is also known for its beauty that lasts a long time.

When buying men's silver jewellery, you have to look for the stamps of quality to ensure that you are getting authentic silver and not just some silver ripoff. Most silver jewelry comes with a quality mark which shows the metal content and the registered trademark of the manufacturer. Authentic silver jewelry can be identified with a lion or leopard mark if it is made in the United Kingdom. If the jewelry is made from any other country, it usually is marked with a .925 or the word sterling. Be sure to look for the fineness mark and the maker's mark on your jewelry to assure its quality.

Once you have bought your silver jewellery, it is important that you take care of it to maintain its beauty. In order to do so, you must store your jewelry in a cloth pouch and avoid cleaning it with household chemicals such as bleach and ammonia. Also avoid wearing jewelry when swimming in chlorinated water. Sometimes, silver tarnishes as a result of its reaction with sulfur or hydrogen sulfide but this can be remedied by using specially formulated polishes that removes the tarnish.

One best way to avoid tarnish is by wearing your silver jewelry regularly. It is the reason why you bought one in the first place anyway;to be able to wear it and show its beauty to the public.

© 2008 Jason Tye. Jason Tye is the webmaster and owner of the mens designer jewelry emporium - homme rock, specializing in quality, designer jewelry and rings, for men.