Taxco Mexico is famous for its silversmiths and silver shops. In the town center, surrounding the Borda Plaza, are numerous stores offering extensive arrays of fine silver jewelry, goblets, platters and decorative articles. Many silver stalls are also to be found in the bustling market below the square, tucked amidst the winding, cobblestoned streets. When shopping for silver in Taxco or anywhere else, make sure that the silver is stamped with the official .925 mark of sterling silver or, if it's a small piece of jewelry, that a tiny tag marked .925 is attached to it. Why .925? In order for silver to be suitable and durable enough for the wear and tear of jewelry and other items, the metal is often alloyed with a small amount of copper. Sterling Silver, comprising 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper, has thus been the standard for Jewelry since the 14th century in many parts of the world.
C.) Add 1 heaping tablespoon of baking soda, and then slowly pour boiling water to cover the piece. The tarnish will gradually collect on the aluminum foil.
Silver is a very versatile metal and can be used in many creative ways in silver jewelry design. Silver is a popular material for jewelry because it can durable and can be finished in many different ways. It can have a shiny finish and almost made to sparkle. Or it can have a mat finish with dark tones. The actual color of the metal varies dependant on the alloys used when it is produced. Rarely is jewelry made from pure silver. Silver jewelry is commonly made with a percentage of other material added to the silver. This will affect the value of the piece. Some alloys used may even cause skin discoloration if the percentage is too high.
Care and Cleaning of your Sterling Silver Jewelry: For daily cleaning it is recommended to use a simple jewelry polishing cloth that is impregnated with special jewelry cleaner. These are widely available and are very easy to use. Store your cloth in a plastic zip-lock bag, and keeping your jewelry drawer or armoire. It is a good idea to have one cleaning cloth for gold and one for silver. For a slightly more "in-depth" cleaning you may want to use a liquid jewelry cleaner. For cleaning badly tarnished silver, here's a neat little trick:
Sterling silver will always be a beautiful thing. The way it shines and sparkles will bring a smile to just about any face. The great thing about this silver is that it looks great on children and adults, men and women. You can buy a piece of silver jewelry for any type of person and they will be sure to love it.
B.) Place the tarnished silver in the bottom of the dish, contacting the aluminum foil.
