Anna Lin

The use of silver to make jewelry has been around for centuries, and although the silversmith techniques have changed somewhat throughout the years, the attention to quality and detail has not. Sterling silver, at one time was reserved only for those who were wealthy, and few could afford it.

Thankfully, in the modern world Sterling silver has become much more affordable and one does not need to be wealthy in order to have a Sterling silver pendant within their jewelry wardrobe. In today’s market it is relatively easy to choose a quality Sterling silver pendant, if you keep your eyes open to the little details.

Sterling silver is made from silver ore, which is then combined with other metal alloys in order to give silver strength. 100% pure silver ore is very pliable and tends not to remain as it is formed and quickly loses its shape. The most common alloy used is copper and this is added to the silver, as this does not alter the color, but does provide it with the necessary strength to hold its shape, ensuring that your Sterling silver pendant will maintain its designed under normal use.

However, all jewelry that is claiming to be Sterling silver is required to be stamped or have some sort of recognized hallmark. Often it is simply marked. .925 or with a 9.25 and that refers to the minimum amount of pure silver needed in its composition in order to be called Sterling silver.   If the Sterling silver pendant that you are considering, is from another country it may be stamped with a symbol or a company mark and any jeweler can identify it for you if needed.

When you are shopping for a Sterling silver pendant, you will notice that the prices can fluctuate from day to day or from even store-to-store, as silver is considered a precious metal and tends to fluctuate as the market does. Keeping an eye on the average rate of silver in the market, can give you a general idea as for price. However if the price is too low, it usually indicates that either the piece is not genuine or that it may be Silver-plated. Usually if you turn it over and the Sterling silver pendant has a .925 you can be assured that it is genuine.

Keeping your Sterling silver pendant beautiful for many years to come requires very little effort. There are a few precautions that you should take in caring for your Sterling silver
Pendant, the most damaging is exposing it to certain chemicals such as bleach, ammonia, and acetone which can damage it beyond repair.

Using commercial jewelry cleaners should be fine if nothing mentioned above is listed in the ingredients.  Natural oxidation or tarnish often occurs on all silver, which can make your Sterling silver pendant look dull, using a jewelers cloth, sometimes also called a silver cloth, will often removed the tarnish by simply using a gentle rubbing motion. Storing your Sterling silver pendant in a tarnish proof cloth when you will not be wearing it will help protect it from scratching against other pieces and reduce oxidation. Sterling silver pendants are timeless additions to your jewelry collection and are meant to last a lifetime and they will with proper care and storage.

A very popular silver pendant amongst people, who are drawn to the Egyptian mythology, is the silver scarab pendant. Most people don’t know the mythology behind their silver scarab pendant even though the scarab is a prominent symbol in Egyptology.   Having an idea as to where the concept comes from for your silver scarab pendant helps deepen the symbolism and the meaning attached to it.

The ancient Egyptians have long held the scarab as sacred. They believed the scarab was the symbol of a sun god called Khepera, one of the aspects, attributed to this deity, was the ability to transform inert matter into active life. The symbolism associated with the scarab was derived from a dung beetle that lays their eggs within a ball of clay. From within this ball of clay the beetle would hatch and symbolized the creation of new life.  So a silver scarab pendant most often symbolizes creation or life.

The majority of amulets that the Egyptians made were mostly from carved soapstone and then glazed with crushed stones, sand, and gems, these were then worn or carried as a protective amulet. Egyptian style silver scarab pendants may seem like a common form of jewelry today, in ancient Egypt master Smith’s would fashion elaborate neck pieces of silver or gold which often included a scarab in its motif which were worn not only for adornment but for protection, in both this life and in the afterlife, as well.

Many of the silver scarab pendants that are on the market are imported directly from Egypt. The majority of silver scarab pendants are crafted using the casting method, which silver is turned to liquid under high heat and poured into a mold. And although they can make several at a time, each silver scarab pendant still needs to be finished by hand.

In the United States we are used to the standard of our fine silver being about 90% silver and 10% metal alloy, usually copper, to increase the silver’s strength. Egyptian silver is generally 80% silver and 20% metal alloy. Generally if it comes from Egypt it is not considered to be fine sterling silver. Although in Egypt the 80/20 mixture is considered to be fine silver by their standards.

This is something to keep in mind when you are purchasing a silver scarab pendant and is not meant to deter you if you choose to purchase your silver scarab pendant made from Egyptian silver, and this is for informational purposes only. You should be aware that because Egyptian silver is made with a 20 % metal alloy, you may notice that your piece will need more frequent cleanings to keep your silver scarab pendant looking like new.

Normally, if they are crafted and stamped on the back, they are domestically crafted and your silver scarab pendant will in general need the same amount of care as any other pieces of silver jewelry may need. With either domestic or foreign silver, caring for your piece is generally the same.

Using a soft jewelers cloth and a bit of polish, you would clean your silver scarab pendant with a gentle circular motion. Although nowadays they have silver polishing cloths that do not need silver polish in order to remove any tarnish that may have accumulated on your silver scarab pendant.

Imagine if you will for a moment in the gloom and doom that generally accompany a winter day spent at home.  The sky is gray.  The ground, covered with snow, has lost its luster and is also gray.  Everyone around is lamenting the snow, and their moods are gray.  All in all, winter can be a very gray, dull time.  So how can you spice up your mood and propel your way through winter with a smile?

Now imagine for a moment that it was summertime all year-round.  The birds in the trees.  The flowers blooming bright.  The waves crashing on the beach as you dance barefoot through the sand in the moonlight. While there is no way that you can be certain to make the sun’s hot rays shine all year round you can carry a reminder of those precious hours of freedom spent enjoying the heat and the atmosphere of the beach with you all throughout the winter with a silver sandal pendant.

Imagine walking around through the whole of the winter with a flip-flop hanging from a rope around your neck. Probably not the fashion statement you were going for in order to impress your boss, right? (If it was, make sure that you never quit that job. You will never find a boss that cool again.) Even though a flip-flop or a sandal immediately brings back all of the happy feelings you had when you were enjoying fun in the sun throughout the months of July and August it is generally considered rather tacky to carry a shoe around with you any place other than on your foot. Modern jewelers have changed this. They have created the type of sandal that was designed to be worn around your neck, so that when you find yourself stuck in the middle of the winter doldrums with no chance of escape you can touch your necklace, turn your thoughts inward and find the strength to get through until this hideous season is over and you can once again find happiness in the simple things in life; a smooth seashell, a colorful fish or that summer tan that will make you look and feel as though you just spent a holiday in the Bahamas.

Be careful! Wearing a sandal pendant does not mean that you are pining away for summer (even though you probably are), nor does it only represent the fact that you have an “X” slashed through each day and the little Christmas countdown clock counting down the days until Memorial Day when the pool opens up. Wearing a sandal pendant says a lot about your personality. It says, “I will not be a slave to conventional fashion. I will go my own way. I will find satisfaction in every aspect of my appearance, right down to something as small as my necklace” and, perhaps most importantly, a sandal pendant declares to the entire rest of the world slogging through dreary winter weather, “You can take the girl out of the beach but you can’t take the beach out of the girl.”