Yes, we can polish silver plated items. But if your silver plated dish has much of the silver plating worn off, we cannot replate this for you. We can polish what silver plating is left.

Silver-plated copper wire shouldn't be used in any equipment that may be exposed to humidity over 50%. The silver reacts with the copper and causes the copper to turn into rust ("red plague"). Yes, this can only happen in the presence of oxygen, but it is very easy to "nick" a wire when stripping, even with the best tools and training. I have seen lengths of silver-plated copper wire in aircraft that still had continuity but had increased in resistance to several kOhms per foot.

With the exception of nickel and silver, any object plated with less than .10 microns of rhodium will eventually discolor due to the corrosive oxides that are "rising" through the microscopic pores within the rhodium's surface. This type of surface tarnish will eventually appear "yellowish' bright to the observer and is commonly found on decorative items such as jewelry chains and bracelets. Constant contact with skin oils and chemicals help accelerate surface discoloring.

Unless stated stamped sterling silver our products are made of Non-Tarnish Silver Rhodium. Silver Rhodium will preserve the beauty and shine giving the appearance of Sterling silver. Will virtually last forever. Silver rhodium is hypo-allergenic. Rest assured that we would never carry any products that would cause an allergic reaction.

A: Silver plating is an alternative to using a thread lubricant. The silver plating prevents bolt threads from seizing with its mating threads during temperature excursions. MDC recommends applying an anti-seize lubricant or using silver plated bolts in all metal seal applications.

Normally, if a piece is solid silver it will be indicated on the piece (e.g. Sterling, .925, 925/1000, .900, Coin, Standard, .9584 (English Britannia), .800 (Germany), 84 (Russia), etc.). Most American-made pieces are marked on the bottom of holloware, and on the reverse on flatware. Foreign-made objects can be marked most anywhere, and are sometimes accompanied by additional marks applied at an assay office in that country. Rarely will you find a piece made of solid silver that isn't stamped.

Mostly, I do not. All of the silver I use is Sterling Silver or better. Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver. I use some silver beads and components that come from the Karen Hill Tribe in Thailand. These silver beads and components are 95% silver. The rest of the sterling silver beads come from India, Turkey, Israel, China, Bali, Nepal and the USA, and maybe a few other places as well. The gold wire I use is 14K gold-filled. Occasionally I will use 12K gold-filled beads or components.

Sterling silver items that are electroplated with a rhodium finish must still be designated as "Sterling silver" or one of its equivalent legal markings. For more detail on this topic visit the www.ftc.gov web site for specific guidelines. This article copyright 2003 by Metal Arts Specialties. All rights reserved. This material may not be duplicated or copied without expressed written permission. Thank-you

SilverSource has always guaranteed, in writing, the solid sterling silver purity of every single item we sell. We back this guarantee with consistent laboratory assay-testing of all our products, and our longstanding spotless reputation as the leading silver jewelry wholesaler in the trade. In fact, to the best of our knowledge SilverSource was the first wholesaler to make an absolute guarantee of purity, in writing, on every item we sell.

Answer: No. If a client requests it, then a commission piece can be made with STERLING SILVER or GOLD wire. This however will be reflected in the final price of the piece as the cost of precious metal wire is more than plated copper wire.

A buff and polish is a procedure that is often done between fills. Your nail technician/manicurist will buff the out growth of the nail product, near the cuticle area, making it blend with your natural nail. Nails are then re-polished. This is a service that is less expensive than a nail fill, and allows you to go longer between fills. Top of page

A polish change is a nice treat to yourself between appointments. Depending on your lifestyle, polish can become "dull" or begin to wear off at the tips of your enhancements. Your nail technician/manicurist will simply remove your old polish and apply fresh, new polish to your nail enhancements. This service is especially popular during the holiday season for those special parties or family gatherings. And of course you can always add nail art with your polish change! Top of page

Probably not. An experiment commonly performed in high-school chemistry classes will turn a cent to a silver color, and some companies will silver-plated items. For more information, Ken Potter discusses authenticating silver pennies (more accurately, cents).

Yes. All the old plating would be removed first, it would then be refurbished, polished and cleaned prior to replating. Our company is a leader in providing "custom" metal restoration and plating services to our valued customers.

Yes. We can plate over just about any type of finish as long as the surface is free from fingerprints, oils and other contaminants.

It is the nature of bronze to develop a natural patina (darkening) over time and with exposure to acid or alkaline environments. Many people choose to allow this natural aging process and may prefer this appearance to that of a newly polished piece.

Because Planetjill pieces are completely waterproof, you can dip it in any kind of silver dip or polish, just like you would with any other sterling piece.

Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver (.925) metal. This standard is used to assure consistent quality among sterling products. Silver that is not described as "sterling" or ".925" has less pure silver content and will often be darker in color and less shiny. Sterling is 92.5% pure instead of 100% pure in order to achieve the requisite hardness and stability to resist wear and tear, and hold its shape.

Colloidal Silver is very small silver particles suspended in pure water. It has been consumed for years and touted as a natural antibiotic and may be absorbed effectively through the skin. Silver is a pure, stable, non-toxic element with no known side-effects. It has been used extensively in food preparation and preservation for years overseas , and it is now produced, after extensive compatibility testing for skin care.

No, tooth colored fillings are our treatment of choice. Either direct filled composites or indirect inlays and crowns can be provided in almost all situations. However on occasion, if a silver filling is necessary, we use the safest material available.