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.

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.

Hand washing and drying are suggested by the manufacturers. Do not mix sterling with silver plate or stainless flatware in the same wash. See our Sterling Care page for more information.

A:Over time your sterling silver will tarnisha natural dulling effect that occurs when silver reacts with elements in the air. To prevent tarnish build up, clean your silver pieces with a polish or soft cloth specifically made for sterling. Always keep your sterling jewelry away from harsh chemicals such as chlorine and household cleaning products. This will reduce daily abrasions and prolong your jewelrys sparkle.

Keep silver in an air tight place to prevent tarnish or purchase anti tarnish strips available at Polly=s (air and light cause tarnish).

Sterling silver is a metal that is meant to be worn. Left on top of a night stand, silver will tarnish. One way to prevent silver from tarnishing between displays or wearings is to keep the jewelry in cloth pouches or Zip-closure plastic bags. A silver cloth is the best way to remove tarnish from jewelry. Over time, liquid cleaners tend to yellow the metal (although buffing will bring back the original shine). Light mechanical buffing with a soft polish-treated cloth usually works best.

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).

The quality measures report on the site are "quality of care" measures that describe how often certain practices of care have been followed. Unlike the Appropriate Care Measure, the quality measures illustrate hospitals' work on each measure by combining all patients treated for a particular condition. The quality measures broadly describe the care provided by a hospital.

When storing jewelry, do not mix gold with silver, spearate the metals by compartments. Sterling silver and gold-filled are soft precious metals and vulnerable to scratching, so be careful. Consider purchasing a stainless steel Medical ID tag for everyday wear.

Adornments Unlimited advises you to use only a soft silver cleaning cloth to gently wipe tarnish from jewelry. Do not allow a jeweler to buff your jewelry to remove tarnish. The buffing will remove many fine details from the jewelry and devalue it. If you take jewelry in for repair, specify that the jewelry is not to be polished. This will prevent any unwelcome surprise. Adornments Unlimited also recommends that silver cleaning solutions or creams not be used on vintage Mexican silver.

To keep your Sterling silver "Memory Pendant" from tarnishing, polish often with a silver polishing cloth. These are specially made to remove tarnish from silver and are available at stores that sell fine jewelry. This information applies to both the cremation "Memory Pendants" and the keepsake "memory Pendants".

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.