Sterling Silver Wire Information
Pure silver, also called fine silver, is relatively soft, very malleable, and easily damaged so it is commonly combined with other metals to produce a more durable product. The most popular of these alloys is sterling silver, which consists of 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper.
Although any metal can make up the 7.5 percent non-silver portion of sterling, centuries of experimentation have shown copper to be its best companion, improving the metal's hardness and durability without affecting its beautiful color.
The small amount of copper added to sterling has very little effect on the metal's value. Instead, the price of the silver item is affected by the labor involved in making the item, the skill of the craftsperson, and the intricacy of the design.
Sterling tarnishes due to the presence of sulfur or hydrogen sulfide in the ambient air, which reacts with the copper. Sulfur can come from perfume, deodorant, skin, and the atmosphere, especially around swimming pools (chlorine is hard on silver too) and near some work areas.
Care of Sterling Silver Jewelry is easy. It is quite durable. A simple silver jewelry cleaning solution or polishing cloth. I recommend storing your Sterling Silver wire jewelry in its own zip-loc bag. This will cut down on tarnish and will also keep it from being scratched by other jewelry.