Sterling Silver
From Native American Information Superhighway Alltribes™ Wiki
- Sterling Silver 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 fineness of 925. Because pure silver is so soft, it should only be used when malleability is required, such as in handcrafted jewelry featuring weaving and other intricate designs. High-end Silver jewelry is often.
- The word "sterling" is the quality mark for the best in silver. The word is Middle English, probably Anglo-Saxon. The origin of the term dates back to the 12th century when five free towns banded together in the Eastern part of Germany calling themselves the Hanseatic League. They were free to make their own laws and issue their own currency. When trading with British merchants, they paid for the British products with silver coins. These coins attracted the attention of the Britisher for their consistency of metal and dependability of weights and were, therefore, referred to as the coins of the Easterling's. In due time, after the British adopted the characteristics of these coins, the metal and the coin became known as sterling. Down to the present day this term has stood for the test of fineness and quality.
- Silver is widely diffused but is rarely found in the native state. It is originally as widespread as gold, occurring in nearly all of the volcanic rocks. Whereas gold remains unaltered by the action of the elements and is often carried long distances from its place of origin, silver, on the contrary, is only to be found in the rocks where it originated.
- Pure silver has a brilliant white color and is the whitest of all metals. None surpasses it in luster, and in hardness it ranges between pure gold and pure copper. It is more fusible than copper or gold, melting at a bright heat or at 1761 degrees F. It is commonly used for the purpose of alloying gold in its pure state, bit if too much be added it makes the gold pale.
- It is almost as plastic as pure gold is too soft to make durable objects that require lightness and stability of form. This defect is overcome by alloying it with a little copper.
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Astrology
- As far as Vedic Astrology goes, Venus is represented by Silver, and is the metal for Taurus and Libra birth signs. In Numerology, Silver is related to the number 4. Western Astrology associates Silver with Cancer and Aquarius birth signs. Silver is considered a water element, and it's symbolic for those individuals that are celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary.
The Healing Power of Silver
- Because Silver has conductive abilities, New Age healers believe that it can conduct the body's energy, and it can remove negative energy from the body by channeling the positive energy of other minerals into a patient. The minerals used for this process, along with Silver, include Turquoise, Agate, Jet, Moonstone, Lodestone, and cooler-colored gems. To aid a person with poor eyesight, lodestone set in Silver is worn as a silver pendant.
- Silver is said to be the mirror of the soul. Silver is believed to benefit circulation, help lungs and throat, and detoxify the blood, to aid in the treatment of degenerative brain diseases, balancing of hormones and chemicals and improvement of nerve impulse transmission. They also use it for treating hepatitis and detoxifying the body. New Age healers have taken silver's conductive abilities and translated that into the belief that it can conduct the body's energy. They believe it can remove negative energy from the body and channel the positive energy of other minerals into the patient. The minerals they use with Silver include Turquoise, Agate, Jet, Moonstone and Lodestone or cooler-colored gems. Lodestone set in silver is said to aid in eyesight.
- Throughout the ages, silver jewelry has been associated with magical powers; believed to promote healing, bring good luck and for warding off evil spirits to the wearer. While these beliefs are not part of mainstream thinking today, some people still hold them true. Silver is said to work best as a communicator, benefit circulation, help lungs and throat, and detoxify the blood. Also said to help the body naturally correct hormonal and/or chemical imbalances, and to help the brain work easier owing to silver improving the transmission of nerve impulses. Silver has germicidal effects and kills many lower organisms effectively without harm to higher animals.
- In olden days, people used silver to de-contaminate water because it kills germs.
- It's widely accepted that silver is a good natural antibiotic; it's even used in a lot of bandaids.
- Silver is considered as an antibacterial — but it might do more. Scientists are now testing silver on diseases like malaria and leprosy with encouraging results.
- Silver is a major conductor and communicator. Aids speech and public speaking eloquence. Enhances patience and perseverance. Silver has the ability to energize other stones during the new and full moons. Draws negative energy out from the body and replaces it with positive energy.
Myths about Silver
- Legends of Jewels, Quartz Mythology, Myths about crystals and myths about jewelry; Some of those ancient myths and legends have come down intact through the centuries. Others have evolved and mutated as result of the input of other cultures...
Facts about Silver
- Silver can be hammered into sheets so thin that it would take 100,000 of them to stack an inch high. It can be drawn into a wire finer than a human hair. It is this ductility (or ability to be formed) that makes silver the wonderful art form that it is...
Silver in Medicine
- Silver has been used in the health field since, well, for as long as there has been a health field. It was used in times of antiquity for fighting germs and healing tissue, and those uses have continued to this day. It has been undergoing a rapid resurgence in use...
Origins of Silver
- The area of Anatolia (modern Turkey) is considered the first major source of mined silver, having provided the resource to craftsman throughout Asia Minor. Silver from the Anatolian region largely served as the source of silver for the Western cultures flourishing in the Near East, Crete, and Greece. Silver craftsmanship was centered largely in Asia Minor and Greek Islands...
Silver Jewelry Care
- As in any jewelry including gold, platinum jewelry studded with diamonds or precious colored stones, we recommend that you check your jewelry every 6 months Prongs can wear thin and let stones fall out. Chains and Pearl Strands weaken with wear...
- Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. Sterling silver is the standard for charming beautiful white cool luster of silver and is the standard for high quality silver jewelry. The beautiful white metal of silver has had an illustrious history, at times being more highly valued than gold. Long used as a medium of exchange.
The Symbol
- The first known symbol drawn by children on rock walls are circles, which are followed by crosses. Revered as one of the most ancient human symbols, the cross is used by many religions, most notably Christianity. It represents the division of the world into four elements, which are solid/earth, liquid/water, gas/air, and plasma/fire, or cardinal points, which is the geographic orientation of the Earth: north, south, east, and west. The silver cross also represents the union of the concepts of divinity, the vertical line, and the world, the horizontal line. The Latin cross or crux is the most common symbol of Christianity.
- A common symbol of Christianity, the silver cross can be handmade or sand cast. Sand mold casting or a sand casting is a cast part produced by forming a mold from a sand mixture and pouring a molten liquid metal into the cavity in the mold. When the mold cools, the metal solidifies, and the casting is separated from the mold. The silver cross can be etched, stamped, or inlaid with turquoise, coral, malachite, mother of pearl, jet and other semi-precious stones.
