Handcrafted Dog & Cat Theme Jewelry For People Fine Silver vs Sterling By Silver Artist Alyce Duffy

More info click here: www.whiskazzandpawzz.com

For those who are feline fanciers and canine enthusiasts, dog and cat themed jewelry is perfect for special occasion gifts. In today´s economic environment gold is just too pricey for most people, so why not consider investing in beautifully handcrafted silver jewelry. You have some choices. Should you choose sterling or fine silver? What´s the difference?

Sterling vs fine silver.

Basically, fine silver is 99.9% pure, while sterling silver is an alloy that is 92.5% pure and is combined with copper. The percentage between fine and sterling silver may seem small, but the addition of copper makes sterling harder and more durable. Even though sterling is stronger, it does have a common drawback known as tarnishing.

Sterling silver is a common type of silver used in jewelry making.

Dog and cat breed charms are excellent examples of sterling silver jewelry. Many times they are placed on bracelets. The extra hardness of the sterling is an advantage in this instance, since bracelets on the wrist are more prone to "banging" with objects.

For more creative, intricate silver jewelry pieces, fine silver is a favored media for some artists.

Among the advantages of fine silver jewelry is its beautiful luster. It has a "glow" that is simply not present in sterling. Fine silver starts out as a pliable metal clay that can be easily shaped and detailed. Once it is cured in a kiln, all the binders are eliminated and the metal is hardened. The resulting pieces are polished in a tumbler to achieve the beautiful luster.

Caring for sterling vs fine silver.

With the passage of time sterling silver will tarnish. To minimize this it should be stored in an enclosed space with an anti-tarnish strip. To eliminate the tarnish on sterling silver, a special silver cleaning cloth can be used to polish it. The longer sterling is exposed to the air and left without polishing, the blacker it becomes. This is when the polishing process becomes tedious.

Fine silver will also tarnish, but it takes longer to occur. Rather than turning black, it takes on a mild, golden patina. To freshen the fine silver, use the same special silver cleaning cloth as you would use on the sterling.

With more and more attention focused on the special relationships between humans and their pets, artists are creating more jewelry to celebrate those bonds. For more information or to find the perfect choice of pet themed jewelry, visit our website www.whiskazzandpawzz.com