SILVER Jewelry - Silver Chains

Silver Chains

With the advent of necklaces came the invention of the chain. Originally to loop animal teeth, gems, stones, vines and ropes were used for necklaces. As time went on, necklaces became more elaborate and created from precious metals, such as gold and silver. Throughout the centuries, silver chains would carry gemstones, crucifixes, pictures, dog tags. Popular in contemporary times, men will wear silver chains without gems or other adornments.

History and Symbol of Silver

Silver’s long history spans back to the discovery of copper and gold. Historians have found early mining ore in the Middle East, dating back to 5000-4000 BCE. Silver originally was a sacred metal due to its comparison to gold, which was considered perfect, and compared symbolically to the moon. Silver soon thereafter became coinage and jewelry for trade throughout the ancient world.

Mining for silver meant mining for lead ore. To extract silver from the lead ore was dangerous, because of lead poisoning. Silver miners lasted for two or three years. In the ancient world, free men did not mine for silver. Slaves mined and extracted the silver. One famous silver mine was Laurion, which was outside Athens. The silver extracted from Laurion paid for Athen’s navy, making it one of the most powerful city-states in the ancient world.

Sterling Silver

Fine silver is 99.9% silver, but is too soft to produce objects. Sterling Silver or Standard Silver is most used in jewelry. Sterling Silver is 92.5% silver and the rest mass metal, most popular of which is copper. Copper gives strength, ductility, and beauty to silver.

Originally used for sacred ornamentation and coins, silver quickly became precious metal for jewelry. Today’s world’s largest suppliers of silver are the USA, Argentina, Canada, Mexico, Bolivia, the former-USSR, Australia, and Germany.

Sterling Silver chains with charms and sacred items are popular. Silver chains are popular among men and silver chain necklaces—holding diamonds—are still a girl’s best friend.