Silver is a phenomenal metal and the properties that silver possesses are ideal when artists and designers at Van Elly set out to create a stunning piece of jewelry. Silver is able to achieve the most brilliant polish of any metal. This is due to the fact that silver has the highest degree of optical reflectivity of all the metals, reflecting 95% of all visible light.

Silver is also very soft and malleable. Due to this high malleability Van Elly designers are able to shape and mold the silver into an infinite number of forms allowing us to create bold, beautiful, and artistic pieces of jewelry.

So what exactly is "Sterling Silver"? Sterling silver refers to an alloy (a combination of metals). Sterling silver is a combination of 92.5% silver and usually 7.5% copper. So why combine the two metals? Why not just use 100% pure silver? The answer lies in the paragraph above. We cannot use pure silver, simply because pure silver is just too malleable. It will not hold it's shape, thus we need to combine the silver with a harder metal.

So why does sterling silver turn brown/black? This is called tarnishing, and it is a natural property of sterling silver. Over time through oxidation (contact with air) and exposure to other materials (sulfur is a main culprit), sterling silver will tarnish. Some refer to tarnish as "patina" and many people even love the lustrous color of patina. However, there are ways to remove tarnish or patina. A cloth made to clean sterling silver will usually have chemicals gentle enough to remove patina. Harsh dips and creams are never recommended because they are too abrasive and can scratch and damage your jewelry.

Now that you have learned more about this beautiful metal, go out and treat yourself to a wonder piece of Van Elly sterling silver jewelry!