Buy Wisely - Three Things to Check Before Buying Jewellery

When shopping for jewellery and in particular silver jewellery it is important to know exactly what it is you are buying. There are three important things to consider:

What is the quality of the metal?Is the jewellery well made?Are you buying from a reputable retailer that offers a money back guarantee?

In this article I will answer the first of these three questions.

What is the Quality of the Alloy?

Let's start with a simple question - how is metal quality defined? Not all jewellery uses the same alloy to add hardness so the quality of silver can be pretty random unless it is certified (stamped) as sterling silver. If you see a piece of jewellery advertised as "sterling silver" it must have a guaranteed level of purity and should have ".925" stamped on it somewhere.

Sterling silver is the name given to an alloy that is 92.5% by weight silver and 7.5% by weight other metals. Fine silver is 99.9% pure but is too soft to be used for jewellery. Copper is usually chosen for fine silver to create sterling silver alloy as it adds a lovely soft patina to silver.

Here is a little more background on sterling silver. The origin of the word sterling is not totally agreed but it likely originates from the old English term 'steorling' meaning 'coin with a star' describing some Norman pennies which were stamped with a star. What is agreed is that sterling silver as an alloy originated in Europe as it was used for commerce in the 12th Century in what is now northern Germany.

There are many alloys described by different names but .925 has become the standard for high quality sterling jewellery because it is the most durable of the fine alloys. Understanding the other grades of alloy can be a little confusing as country names are mixed with technical terms:

Mexican alloy is 95% silver and 5% other metals. However today's modern Mexican jewellery industry uses primarily .925 alloy in the production of their pieces -- it's just that the term 'Mexican silver' technically refers to alloy which is 95% pure. While 95% is very high purity, it is considered a little too soft for jewellery worn in a modern woman's lifestyle. It is mostly used for rare pieces intended for occasional wear.

Coin silver is the name used to describe alloy coming from melted coin. The USA coin standard was 90% silver and 10% other metals but other nations had lower standards. The standard is now set at 90% purity.

German silver describes alloy which is 80% silver and 20% other metals. It is important however not to confuse this term with sterling silver jewellery from Germany - German silver is a specific type of alloy, and does not define all jewellery that is produced in Germany.

Silver plated jewellery is not silver alloy at all, but jewellery made from base metals that is plated with silver. It is found in costume jewellery normally sold in inexpensive fashion stores. It is perfect for fun, fashionable jewellery as it is less expensive and not intended for long lasting wear as the plating eventually wears.

There are many other types of alloy with even lower pure silver content than German so be careful about buying any jewellery other than sterling silver. All of the womens jewellery and mens jewellery found at Jive Design is made of .925 sterling silver. As such, you can be assured that the alloy used in our jewellery is the finest available for wearable jewellery and provides great design, good value and most importantly a lifetime of enjoyment.

Is the Jewellery Well Made?

Does it feel smooth and comfortable on, with no sharp edges or visible joins or roughness? Is the surface free from pits, marks or scratches that are not part of the design? Does the clasp appear strong and durable? These are some things that a quick visible inspection will reveal. At Jive we pride ourselves on choosing only those pieces which measure up to our strong, wearable quality standards.

Are You Buying from a Reputable Retailer?

Does the store offer a guarantee of quality and wearability? We understand it can be difficult to choose jewellery from a website without the opportunity to try it on, or truly give it a good visible inspection. At Jive Design are very proud of the quality and wearability of every piece we do more than just promote it, we back it up with a money back guarantee if you are unsatisfied for any reason. If you don't love it when it arrives for any reason, just follow the return instructions and we'll exchange it for you or give you a full refund. And everything we sell comes with a 12 month warranty against design or manufacturing defects.

Visit Jive Design's website and view the videos in which you will hear owner Jan Sinclair describe the reasons why she chooses only the best pieces for Jive's catalogues. These pieces are not the everyday run of the mill low end silver you often find on the web or an average mall jewellery store.

Jan Sinclair is owner and manager of Jive Design, a contemporary jewellery and abstract art store located in Noosa Heads Queensland Australia. Click here to visit Jive's website

When shopping for jewellery and in particular silver jewellery it is important to know exactly what it is you are buying. There are three important things to consider:

What is the quality of the metal?Is the jewellery well made?Are you buying from a reputable retailer that offers a money back guarantee?

In this article I will answer the first of these three questions.

What is the Quality of the Alloy?

Let's start with a simple question - how is metal quality defined? Not all jewellery uses the same alloy to add hardness so the quality of silver can be pretty random unless it is certified (stamped) as sterling silver. If you see a piece of jewellery advertised as "sterling silver" it must have a guaranteed level of purity and should have ".925" stamped on it somewhere.

Sterling silver is the name given to an alloy that is 92.5% by weight silver and 7.5% by weight other metals. Fine silver is 99.9% pure but is too soft to be used for jewellery. Copper is usually chosen for fine silver to create sterling silver alloy as it adds a lovely soft patina to silver.

Here is a little more background on sterling silver. The origin of the word sterling is not totally agreed but it likely originates from the old English term 'steorling' meaning 'coin with a star' describing some Norman pennies which were stamped with a star. What is agreed is that sterling silver as an alloy originated in Europe as it was used for commerce in the 12th Century in what is now northern Germany.

There are many alloys described by different names but .925 has become the standard for high quality sterling jewellery because it is the most durable of the fine alloys. Understanding the other grades of alloy can be a little confusing as country names are mixed with technical terms:

Mexican alloy is 95% silver and 5% other metals. However today's modern Mexican jewellery industry uses primarily .925 alloy in the production of their pieces -- it's just that the term 'Mexican silver' technically refers to alloy which is 95% pure. While 95% is very high purity, it is considered a little too soft for jewellery worn in a modern woman's lifestyle. It is mostly used for rare pieces intended for occasional wear.

Coin silver is the name used to describe alloy coming from melted coin. The USA coin standard was 90% silver and 10% other metals but other nations had lower standards. The standard is now set at 90% purity.

German silver describes alloy which is 80% silver and 20% other metals. It is important however not to confuse this term with sterling silver jewellery from Germany - German silver is a specific type of alloy, and does not define all jewellery that is produced in Germany.

Silver plated jewellery is not silver alloy at all, but jewellery made from base metals that is plated with silver. It is found in costume jewellery normally sold in inexpensive fashion stores. It is perfect for fun, fashionable jewellery as it is less expensive and not intended for long lasting wear as the plating eventually wears.

There are many other types of alloy with even lower pure silver content than German so be careful about buying any jewellery other than sterling silver. All of the womens jewellery and mens jewellery found at Jive Design is made of .925 sterling silver. As such, you can be assured that the alloy used in our jewellery is the finest available for wearable jewellery and provides great design, good value and most importantly a lifetime of enjoyment.

Is the Jewellery Well Made?

Does it feel smooth and comfortable on, with no sharp edges or visible joins or roughness? Is the surface free from pits, marks or scratches that are not part of the design? Does the clasp appear strong and durable? These are some things that a quick visible inspection will reveal. At Jive we pride ourselves on choosing only those pieces which measure up to our strong, wearable quality standards.

Are You Buying from a Reputable Retailer?

Does the store offer a guarantee of quality and wearability? We understand it can be difficult to choose jewellery from a website without the opportunity to try it on, or truly give it a good visible inspection. At Jive Design are very proud of the quality and wearability of every piece we do more than just promote it, we back it up with a money back guarantee if you are unsatisfied for any reason. If you don't love it when it arrives for any reason, just follow the return instructions and we'll exchange it for you or give you a full refund. And everything we sell comes with a 12 month warranty against design or manufacturing defects.

Visit Jive Design's website and view the videos in which you will hear owner Jan Sinclair describe the reasons why she chooses only the best pieces for Jive's catalogues. These pieces are not the everyday run of the mill low end silver you often find on the web or an average mall jewellery store.

Jan Sinclair is owner and manager of Jive Design, a contemporary jewellery and abstract art store located in Noosa Heads Queensland Australia. Click here to visit Jive's website