Spanning The Millennia: The Ageless Beauty Of Sterling Silver Charms

Sterling silver charms continue to be highly prized by jewelry and charm collectors. Silver is traditionally one of the most popular metals used in charm making. There are many reasons why this is true, two in particular. Some people prefer sterling silver charms for charm bracelets because charm collecting is a costly endeavor, but the majority of sterling silver charm buyers choose sterling silver charms purely for the looks.

The History Of Silver.
Silver has been prevalent in cultures worldwide since before recorded history. The first recorded crafters of silver were the Egyptians and Sumerians. The Romans followed suit soon after. Evidence of silver mines being worked exists even before 2500 BC.

Early cultures used silver for a variety of purposes. Ancient coins were made from silver. Silver even saw use as medicine as late as the 1930’s. But the most lasting use of silver has always been, and continues to be, ornamental.

Why Sterling Silver Charms
Jewelry makers prefer silver for very practical reasons. Silver is easy to work with. Silver is malleable and easily tempered. Sterling silver for bracelet and charm making can be worked into various shapes and designs by beating, rolling and bending without cracking and breaking. Sterling silver is light-weight, yet very strong, and is able to resist corrosion.

What’s more, the look of silver is desirable when manufacturing large quantities of charms to fill sterling silver charms wholesale market demands. Silver is the most reflective metal. Sterling silver can be polished to a higher sheen than any of the other white metals.

The workable nature and abundance of silver translates into spectacular affordable beauty in the market’s sterling silver charms for wholesale distribution and retail sale to charm collectors. Sterling silver is the ideal alternative to very costly metals like white gold and platinum.

Affordability translates particularly to the sterling silver charms wholesale market because of the nature of charm collecting. Charm purchases are unlike other jewelry purchases wherein one piece is bought and paid for, then done with. Charm collectors are continually adding to their sterling silver charm bracelet and watch creations. Over time, charm collecting becomes an expensive hobby. Sterling silver charms for charm bracelets are favored by many over the more costly metals such as yellow and white gold and platinum because they are more affordable. In the end, however, the majority of sterling silver charm collectors choose silver for the incomparable beauty and color.

People are sometimes leery of buying sterling silver charms for bracelets online for fear of getting a cheap knock-off. But like all of jewelry buying, if the process is gone into with a little education, buying online is no more risky than buying at a brick and mortar store.

1. First, always buy sterling silver charms for charm bracelets from reputable companies. Build a relationship with a good sterling silver charms wholesale or retail supplier and stick with the websites you have come to know well. This especially holds true for charm buying because you will continually be coming back for more sterling silver charm pieces.


2. Secondly, learn sterling silver charm vocabulary. The term ‘silver’ or ‘sterling silver’ is a label used on charms containing 92.5 % silver. This may also be marked as ‘SS’, 925 silver, or .925 silver. Note that 92.5 % silver is ‘pure’ silver; no silver jewelry products are 100% silver. The remaining 7.5% is alloys of other metals (nickel, copper, or zinc). This is done to minimize tarnish, keep shine long-lasting, and increase the silver’s durability. Higher contents of silver in sterling silver charms for bracelets and other types of jewelry would be too soft for daily wear and would not be at all good in charms. Also note the difference between sterling silver, silver plated, and coin silver. If a sterling silver charm is silver plated, the charm is only overlaid with silver over a cheaper metal base. Coin silver is only 90% silver, which diminishes the appearance of the sterling silver charm.


3. As a last precaution, cover yourself by learning about the website’s policies for returns. When appropriate, ask the site to send any verifying documents with your sterling silver charm. Get contact information when placing an order (a physical and mailing address and/or phone number) in case you encounter problems with online ordering. Be sure to inspect your sterling silver charm when it arrives, prior to permanent soldering to the bracelet itself. Look for the sterling silver mark, but also know that some charms are too small for the markings to be placed on the charm; it may be on a tag or in packaging instead.

When you safeguard yourself by being an informed buyer, shopping online for charms opens up many more buying opportunities; there are so many available sterling silver charm pieces on the internet market that not finding the one you seek is hardly ever an issue. From lucky charms to Italian links, a sterling silver charm is available in every imaginable style and theme. Online shopping has made it increasingly easier to safely buy unique and highly desirable sterling silver charms to add to your charm jewelry collection.