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Sterling silver question (.925)
Hello,
In 1998 I got a ring at a small gift shop at the mall called "Fire and Ice" as a gift from my mom (not sure if any of you have heard of it, but I think it closed down). Anyways, it's a sterling silver (has a ..925 engraved inside the band) oval peridot split shank band ring. It's awesome and I have been wearing it all the time.. everyday, night and day, since I got it. It hasn't discolored or rusted at all, but the band has sorta of bent on the side, where it meets my other finger. This happened after about 2-3 years or so. It was pretty noticeable and made the ring feel weird on my finger. Anyways, a friend of mine used some plyers on it to try and straighten it out. And it worked okay. But my friend said it bended back into shape a little too easily and scratched up pretty easily from the plyers, and suggested that perhaps the ring was made up of a very cheap, soft kind of silver, or metal. Even before that, it's gotten easily scratched up over the years, and I don't do any rugged work with my hands at all. So, my question is.. it was said when we bought it, that it was just "sterling silver" and it does indeed have the sterling silver marker for .925. Is this normal for sterling silver? Could have using the plyers made the band weaker, and later on cause a problem? It cost about $45.00, if I recall clearly. I do not know anything about silver really. Or the different types of silver and strengths, etc. Isn't a .925 rated ring really good quality silver? (then again, any store could probably engrave their jewelry with that, and it not even be silver..) When looking at the ring on the outside, it's a shiney silver. However, inside the split shank opening, there are areas that are not shiney and polished, but show a more gritty kind of rougher material. I'm not sure if the outside of the ring has been polished with some permanent silver polish or something (if that's even possible).. I can't explain it unless you saw it. Any idea what kind of silver this is? Is sterling a typically strong metal? Well, strong as in, where it won't snap or break on me? I'm not worried about it scratching up or bending.. as long as it won't ever break on me, from just everyday wear, without rugged hand usage. Any info will be greatly appreciated! Thanks. |
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#2
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"porkchops" wrote in message
... Hello, In 1998 I got a ring at a small gift shop at the mall called "Fire and Ice" as a gift from my mom (not sure if any of you have heard of it, but I think it closed down). Anyways, it's a sterling silver (has a ..925 engraved inside the band) oval peridot split shank band ring. It's awesome and I have been wearing it all the time.. everyday, night and day, since I got it. It hasn't discolored or rusted at all, but the band has sorta of bent on the side, where it meets my other finger. This happened after about 2-3 years or so. It was pretty noticeable and made the ring feel weird on my finger. Anyways, a friend of mine used some plyers on it to try and straighten it out. And it worked okay. But my friend said it bended back into shape a little too easily and scratched up pretty easily from the plyers, and suggested that perhaps the ring was made up of a very cheap, soft kind of silver, or metal. Even before that, it's gotten easily scratched up over the years, and I don't do any rugged work with my hands at all. So, my question is.. it was said when we bought it, that it was just "sterling silver" and it does indeed have the sterling silver marker for .925. Is this normal for sterling silver? Could have using the plyers made the band weaker, and later on cause a problem? It cost about $45.00, if I recall clearly. I do not know anything about silver really. Or the different types of silver and strengths, etc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sterling is a strong metal. Sterling is also a relatively soft metal = until it gets work hardened some. Pliers are not the tool I would have used, instead I would have slipped it over a ring mandrel and whacked it a couple-thirty times with a rawhide mallet. --=20 Don Thompson "The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is = before them, glory and danger alike, and notwithstanding go out to meet it."- Thucydides "Men are never really willing to die except for the sake of Freedom: Therefore they do not believe in dying completely."- Albert Camus |
#3
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Also, if let's say they did mess up on the other alloy metals to add
to the silver (by adding a weaker metal to the silver).. and the ring has lasted this long to begin with, what are the chances that the ring could completely break on me, just with casual everyday wear? (If I don=B4t do any rugged work with my hands or anything like that.) |
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#5
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Peter W. Rowe pwrowe@ixDOTnetcomDOTcom wrote in message By the way, just
out of curiosity, what sort of condition is that stone in? Natural peridot is rather soft and fragile. I'd expect one worn in a ring for the last six years to be pretty abraded and scratched up. The stone seems to be okay. Like I said, I don't do much rugged work with my hands nor do I get my hands in anything that might cause any damage to the stone. It's not a very big stone though and it's embedded into the frame really well. So only the upper part of it is exposed. It does have a few scratches that only I can notice in good lighting, from which I expected, by the way I handle it. Not that many scratches and they aren't that bad. I assume this is a real, authentic peridot. It's got a little piece of what looks to be a piece of sand or dirt inside the gem. It doesn't really look like oen of those fake ones. I was told when I got this that it was a real rock. Any other ways to tell? |
#6
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Sounds like your ring is indeed sterling silver. If you bend sterling with
plyers it will become weaker somewhat. And also some craftsmen coat the sterling with rhodium plate. Its a substance that makes the silver more shiny. But after a few years it tends to wear off. But does not affect your silver. Or tarnish. Plus the outside of the ring is usally more polished that in inside. That's normal. Silver is a soft metal and is normal for it to take the conformation of your finger. If it isn't soft, that means it contains more other metals and in turn would tarnish on your finger...ick! So sounds like you have a good quality silver ring. Just take care of it like any other piece of jewelry and clean it with a soft cloth and mild soap. Or you can purchase any jewelry cleaner from your local jewelry store. Hope this clears any concern. Karen Thimot Digby County. NS porkchops wrote: Hello, In 1998 I got a ring at a small gift shop at the mall called "Fire and Ice" as a gift from my mom (not sure if any of you have heard of it, but I think it closed down). Anyways, it's a sterling silver (has a .925 engraved inside the band) oval peridot split shank band ring. It's awesome and I have been wearing it all the time.. everyday, night and day, since I got it. It hasn't discolored or rusted at all, but the band has sorta of bent on the side, where it meets my other finger. This happened after about 2-3 years or so. It was pretty noticeable and made the ring feel weird on my finger. Anyways, a friend of mine used some plyers on it to try and straighten it out. And it worked okay. But my friend said it bended back into shape a little too easily and scratched up pretty easily from the plyers, and suggested that perhaps the ring was made up of a very cheap, soft kind of silver, or metal. Even before that, it's gotten easily scratched up over the years, and I don't do any rugged work with my hands at all. So, my question is.. it was said when we bought it, that it was just "sterling silver" and it does indeed have the sterling silver marker for .925. Is this normal for sterling silver? Could have using the plyers made the band weaker, and later on cause a problem? It cost about $45.00, if I recall clearly. I do not know anything about silver really. Or the different types of silver and strengths, etc. Isn't a .925 rated ring really good quality silver? (then again, any store could probably engrave their jewelry with that, and it not even be silver..) When looking at the ring on the outside, it's a shiney silver. However, inside the split shank opening, there are areas that are not shiney and polished, but show a more gritty kind of rougher material. I'm not sure if the outside of the ring has been polished with some permanent silver polish or something (if that's even possible).. I can't explain it unless you saw it. Any idea what kind of silver this is? Is sterling a typically strong metal? Well, strong as in, where it won't snap or break on me? I'm not worried about it scratching up or bending.. as long as it won't ever break on me, from just everyday wear, without rugged hand usage. Any info will be greatly appreciated! Thanks. |
#7
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Cool.
(What happened to Typhoon News's reply? It was here a few minutes ago but now it's gone.. hmm.) Anyways, so I guess pliers was a definately stupid idea afterall, LOL!! What is everyone else's opinion on this ring's chances of completely breaking in half, if I keep wearing it like I am? Since the pliers event, the ring seems to have bent again slightly.. in the opposite area. If I took this into a jeweler.. they'd still be able to fix this for me, even though it's a somewhat cheap ring and nothing fancy like an engagement or wedding ring, right? Could they be able to add an extra layer of sterling silver or something to it to strengthen the band without fully replacing the band? The gem isn't installed with prongs or anything. The gem is sort of in thios silver oval frame with little rope-like silver design made around it, in a circle, and the whole frame setting is sort of... built out of the band itself. It's hard to explain unless you saw it, but replacing the entire band would be a total mess. I just wondered if there's some sort of reinforcement thing they can do to already existing the band. Any information will be GREATLY appreciated. Pork |
#8
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