Buying and Selling Silver

Buying Silver

Similar in its composition and character to gold and copper, silver is a very soft, ductile and malleable metal that also takes a very high polish. While it does not have the hardness of gold, it still has many uses, especially when alloyed with other metals to make it harder.

Silver is one of the seven metals of antiquity known to prehistoric humans, the others being gold, copper, tin, lead, iron and mercury. Because it has been in use for so long, the history of its discovery and early use is unknown.

Silver is a more reactive metal than gold and is also harder to extract from its ores when mined. This meant that in ancient times silver supplies were scarcer and therefore more expensive until around 1500 B.C., when the Egyptians discovered new methods to refine it.

925 silver is simply an alloyed form of silver that is far better suited for use in jewelry and other metalwork.

Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver. In this form, the metal is beautiful and suffers minimal tarnishing, but it is generally too soft and malleable for many uses, including the making of most silver jewelry.

Instead, fine silver is alloyed with copper to create 925 silver, which is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper. This percentage of fine silver is why you will sometimes see sterling silver referred to as "925 silver" or marked with a 925 stamp.

Copper makes silver harder, more durable and therefore much better to work with and wear, but without compromising the color. Most silver jewelry you buy and wear will be 925 silver.

Buying silver is an excellent, high-quality choice in most circumstances. The metal will not rust or perish, and if you care for your jewelry, it will look great for years to come. You can even pass your silver jewelry down to future generations.

When it comes to buying silver, at GOLD SHIELD we have the best jewelry pieces in 925 silver and silver plated finishes. Plus, we carry hundreds of styles and absolutely every type of jewelry, from necklaces, earrings and rings to bracelets, pendants and charms.

Buying Gold

Prized for its beauty and versatility, gold is the classic setting for most jewelry. It is also the most malleable of all metals, so soft that it cannot be used for jewelry in its purest form.

The standard measure of gold is the karat. Pure gold is 24 karat, meaning 24 of the 24 parts are gold. To increase its strength, gold is combined with other metal alloys.

For example, 18K gold has 18 parts gold and 6 parts other alloys; 14 karat gold has 14 parts gold and 10 parts other alloys. 10K gold is more durable, with 10 parts gold to 14 parts other alloys.

The alloys used with yellow gold include copper and silver. Rose gold is created by combining gold with large amounts of copper, while green gold results from mixing gold with copper, silver and zinc. To create white gold, pure gold is combined with copper, zinc and nickel or palladium.

Since ancient times, yellow has been the color most associated with gold. White gold is a beautiful complement to exceptionally white and brilliant diamonds. In addition, white gold jewelry is coated with rhodium, a brilliant metal that increases the whiteness and strength of the gold.

White gold is sometimes confused with platinum, even though they are completely different metals. White gold and platinum vary in strength, scratch resistance and shades of white.

To buy gold, you do not need to be a jewelry expert; you simply need to test the jewelry you are buying with a simple test to find out whether it is really gold and not just a scam.

The way to test at home whether your gold jewelry piece is pure or not is by using vinegar. There are many ways you could use this method, and the good thing about it is that it cannot damage your jewelry unless it is not pure gold.

Place your jewelry on a table or hold it in your hand, pour a little white vinegar directly onto the metal (you can also use a dropper). If the jewelry pieces change color, it is not pure gold, and if they keep shining then you have real gold in your hand.

At GOLD SHIELD, we have jewelry pieces that are gold plated and also made in pure gold. If you would like to see these styles, just click here.

On some jewelry pieces, white and yellow gold are combined to produce a beautiful two-tone look. You can also find pieces in yellow, white and rose gold or white and rose gold.

Where to Buy Gold and Silver

It is really not usually complicated; the answer to where to buy gold and silver is so simple yet complicated at the same time. You can find these jewelry pieces at brick-and-mortar stores or online if you prefer a wide variety of styles made in gold or silver.

The real challenge is where to buy genuine gold and silver, without any kind of tricks or scams. In the market you will find a great number of jewelry establishments that have certificates of authenticity; one of them is GOLD SHIELD, which you can visit online and review all of our jewelry pieces in silver or gold.