This article brings some information about three most common types of silver used in jewelry making. 

   STERLING SILVER   

The official definition for Sterling Silver is a white and highly reflective precious metal. It is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal (thousandth) fineness of 925. Sterling refers to silver that is 92.5 percent pure, which should be stamped on the metal, sometimes accompanied by the initials of the designer or country of origin as a hallmark. Although less durable than stainless steel and other precious metals, sterling silver is often employed in watches that coordinate or look like sterling jewelry. A protective coating may be added to prevent tarnish. We use rhodium finish as a protective layer in our jewelry.

Liquid silver

   Liquid silver is the term used to describe small tubular silver beads that are commonly strung together on multi-strand necklaces to give a very soft look of cascading water; hence the term liquid silver. Liquid Silver jewelry is usually made of .925 Silver (Sterling Silver.)

KAREN SILVER   

Jewelry from genuine fine Karen Silver is made by Thai Karen Hill Tribe people using old traditional techniques passing from generations to generations. Being between 99.5% and 99.9% pure silver, Karen silver has a higher silver content than Sterling silver. It's just the solder used to fuse the silver components together that makes up the last fractions of a percent. Consequently, it has a weight, bright satin color, and feel, all of its own. Every piece is handmade and individual. The hand-hammered and chased details are wonderful and you can actually see evidence of each piece having been formed by the hands of a Karen craftsmen. These pieces are not usually hallmarked in any way.

    BRITANNIA SILVER

Britannia silver is an alloy of silver containing 95.84% silver, with 4% of copper. This standard was introduced in England in 1697 to replace sterling silver as the obligatory standard for items of "wrought plate". The lion hallmark denoting sterling was replaced with the figure of a woman commonly called Britannia, and the leopard's head mark was replaced with a "lion's head erased". Britannia standard silver was introduced by the British King William III in 1696, when attempts were made to limit the clipping and melting of sterling silver coinage. Sterling silver was approved again for use by silversmiths in 1720, and thereafter Britannia silver has remained an optional standard for silver and has been denoted by the millesimal fineness hallmark 958, with the symbol of Britannia being applied optionally. The silver bullion coins of the Royal Mint issued since 1998, known as "Britannias" for their reverse image, are minted in Britannia standard silver.

Britannia silver should be distinguished from Britannia metal, a pewter-like alloy containing no silver.

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