Pure silver at 999 fineness is considered as most lustrous and brightest metal on earth. Its beauty of whiteness is unsurpassed in metallurgy. Yet pure silver cannot be used in making jewellery due to its high degree of softness. Hence, it is alloyed with other metals, chiefly copper to make some of the best jewellery pieces in human history. In that process silver has transformed itself into the most widely used metal. Here are few highlights:
1. Silver in its purest form remains the most malleable and ductile of all metals. Malleability refers to the property of being compressed, deformed, extruded, hammered, rolled or otherwise worked into a shape without breaking; while ductility relates to the propensity of being drawn into thin wire without fracturing. Silver is so malleable that it can be beaten into very minute sheet; likewise silver is so ductile that it can be drawn into thin and long wire
2. To give hardness to silver, copper is alloyed; a 50: 50 silver and copper is said to combine features of both these metals. Accordingly the resulting alloy is malleable and ductile, which are features of silver and at the same time strong and tough which are characteristics of copper
3. By using copper, jewellers improve the surface quality of silver into a smooth, fine, clean and touch-friendly manner
4. Silver is harder than gold but softer than copper. For example according to Moh’s scale of hardness gold is at 2.5 while silver has an intermediate range between 2.5 to 3. Copper is always unshakable at 3
5. Silver can be alloyed with gold in any proportion, providing softness and ductility so that intricate designs are facilitated in pieces of jewellery. The caveat is that there must be pinch of copper to give hardness
6. Even though silver is a precious metal its pecking order in terms of value is much less. Jewellers generally add gold, platinum or palladium to give silver a high degree of nobility
7. When making silver jewellery that must last for a longer time or remain stronger throughout, jewellers generally add palladium to the silver-copper alloy so that the finished piece lasts long without ever losing its hardiness and strength.
Muthu Ashraff
Business Adviser
Mobile: +94 777 265677
E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com
Web: http://www.cosmicgemslanka.com
Blog: http://cosmicgemslanka.com/blog/
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