Silver and Gold: What Makes Precious Metal Valuable
Precious metal has been valuable to humans since ancient times, learn why these metals, used for more than adornment, are treasured.
Keyword(s): precious metal
Are you looking for a wise investment in these troubling times? Or do you want to give something special to a special someone? Then you may want to consider looking into a precious metal investment.
The history of precious metals goes a long way back. As early as 3,600 B.C., the Egyptians already started smelting gold. By 564 B.C., the king of Lydia minted the first-ever coins.
These coins featured natural gold and silver alloy.
Today, gold and silver remain the leaders among precious metals. But did you ever wonder what exactly makes these precious metals valuable?
Continue reading below as take a closer look at gold and silver and why you should invest in them.
The Composition
The first thing to look into when understanding a precious metal like silver or gold is its composition. When we talk about the chemical compositions of precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum, they all tend to keep corrosion at bay.
Moreover, the effects of other elements on these precious metals are less reactive. When it comes to their purity, they feature compounds that naturally occur. Also, you can find these compounds in your good old periodic table of elements.
Let’s take silver as an example. Among the different precious metals in the world, silver carries the highest level of electrical conductivity.
As for gold, it doesn’t readily oxidize like other metals. As a result, it maintains a constant weight for a long period. This is a stark contrast to copper and iron that oxidizes and rusts, respectively.
The Demand and Scarcity
Another key factor that contributes to the value of silver and gold is the demand. Mining of natural resources will eventually deplete the world’s precious metal reserves.
Thus, there will come a time when you can no longer find them. Their demand will continue to increase. This will become more evident in the years to come, as people continue to use precious metals in various applications.
Today, the industries using precious metals are one too many. The medical industry and the computer sectors are some of the biggest users of silver.
Gold as a Safe Haven
When we break down the idea of investing in gold, there is the large-scale and the small-scale approach. The large-scale approach pertains to buying gold bars instead of foreign currency. Even if paper currency inflates, you can expect your gold to retain much of its value.
Also, gold offers more stability compared to local currencies. With these advantages, people now consider gold as a safe haven during the pandemic.
And if you wish to start building a collection, an excellent option is to buy gold vermeil. Gold vermeil is a unique type of premium gold finish. It features a combination of a thick layer of gold that covers high-quality sterling silver.
Interestingly, many qualities make gold vermeil a wise investment if you’re a jewelry lover. First, gold vermeil is safe for people with metal allergies. This is due to the combination of the gold’s thickness and the sterling silver as its base.
Gold vermeil jewelry features genuine .925 sterling silver. As for the layering, it boasts of 14k to 24k of plated gold.
But perhaps the most appealing characteristic of gold vermeil is its affordability. Though it features both gold and silver elements, it doesn’t force you to break the bank.
With its affordability, gold vermeil easily becomes a viable alternative to solid gold.
Investing in Silver
When it comes to silver, its raw form is more abundant compared to raw gold. Nevertheless, the industrial demand for silver remains high. It trumps the industrial demand for gold by as much as 35%.
Furthermore, it is a more affordable investment than gold. This makes it an easy favorite among new investors.
And when it comes to silver jewelry, silver sterling is one that is worth taking a look at. Firstly, silver sterling rings and silver sterling jewelry are hypoallergenic. Sterling silver uses 92.5% of pure silver.
This makes it easy for the skin even for people who have contact dermatitis.
Another edge of sterling silver is its durability. With proper care and maintenance, your sterling jewelry can last you a lifetime. This allows you to pass them on to your kids as heirlooms.
And when it comes to its fashion value, sterling silver easily adapts to the latest trends. Sterling silver is one of the softer metals. Hence, it gives jewelry makers more flexibility when it comes to design.
Last but not least, you don’t need to spend serious amounts of money to experience the beauty of silver. There are rings, necklaces, and bracelets that cost a fraction of the branded ones.
The key is to find the right sources that bring the jewelry directly to you instead of going through multiple middlemen.
Care and Maintenance for Precious Metal
If you decide to invest in gold or silver jewelry, you can keep their beauty and elegance through proper care and maintenance. But how do you exactly take care of your precious jewelry?
To clean your sterling silver jewelry try to wear it daily. If you can’t, make sure to keep it inside a dry and air-tight box. Avoid storing your silver in humid spaces like your bathroom.
If you notice some tarnishing, use a silver cloth to polish it.
For your gold vermeil jewelry, it will tarnish the same way as silver. Hence, store it inside an air-tight container. If you are going for a swim, remove your jewelry.
The same thing goes if you’re planning to take a bath or wash your hands. To clean them, use gentle dish soap with warm water.
Alternatively, you can use a non-chemical soap. Make sure to rinse it well and let it sit and dry on a paper towel or cloth.
Wear a Quality Silver and Gold Jewelry, Today!
Now that you know what makes silver and gold valuable, you will have a better appreciation for what they offer. However, investing in precious metal involves a lot of money. Thankfully, we offer affordable alternatives to branded jewelry in the market.
Connect with us today and check out our extensive catalog of high-quality yet affordable designer jewelry.
