#1 Silver Necklaces Buyer in Las Vegas & Henderson

What is Silver

Silver is a precious metal that played a crucial role in history. It served different purposes such as currency, jewelry, and many others that were beneficial to society. Though less malleable and ductile than gold, it is still one of the ideal choices for craftsmen to forge into different items. 

Silver is derived from the Latin word Argentum meaning white or shining. Due to its greyish-white color, silver is associated with the moon and contrasted to gold being correlated to the sun. Silver was considered to be an almost perfect metal in Ancient Egypt, and a half-circle symbol represented it.

Silver Mining

In 3000 BC, the first records of silver mining were documented in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). Silver mining shifted to Greece before 1200BC, while much of Europe and West Asia also had their silver mines. Miners often died due to the lead present in silver ores that caused poisoning.

The size of silver mines played a key role in city-states’ political strategies at that time, and bigger mines were more advantageous. Due to a massive silver mine near Athens, Greece funded Athen’s first navy at around 500 BC. When the 1st and 2nd Punic wars happened, they determined which city-state gained control over the silver mines and helped them establish political power over others. Around 250 BC, the Carthaginians took over Spanish mines after the 1st Punic Wars. The Carthaginians settled their debts to Rome using the mines’ income, who took over the mines during the 2nd Punic war, financing further conquest using the income from it.

Silver production became more large-scale as silver became in trade. Items made out of silver should be beaten into thin sheets before it can be exported to the Asian spice routes.

Uses of Silver

Even before the modernization of society, silver, just like gold, was utilized in many cultures across history, they were mostly seen in the form of jewelry, currency, or cutlery. 

One of the earliest use of silver was in Ayurvedic medicine, where a mixture cured illnesses caused by energy imbalance of pure metals and silver was believed to be able to detoxify the liver and spleen. Silver was also used heavily in medical practice in the late 1930s (before the invention of antibiotics) due to its antibacterial properties. 

Today, one of silver’s main uses can be found in electronics manufacturing(i.e., cellphones) because of its electrical and thermal properties conductivity. 

Necklaces

A necklace is a piece of jewelry that is worn around the neck. It is one of the earliest recorded ornaments worn by humans. They serve several purposes, including but not limited to religious, ceremonial, funerary, or magical purposes, and they are also used as status symbols as they are typically made out of precious metals.

Necklaces are one of the many types of jewelry worn by the Roman upper-class in Ancient Rome. They are often made out of gold and silver and were often set with precious gemstones such as amber, pearl, amethyst, sapphire, and diamond. 

Between 400-1300AD, Germanic tribes would wear gold and silver collars with intricate designs and set with semi-precious stones and colored glass. Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon groups mainly used silver because of the lack of gold. They fashioned various patterns and animal forms into neck-rings.

Silver necklaces today came a long way from its predecessors. They now come in various styles and designs. They can be just a simple chain, to an elaborate piece set with multiple gemstones.

Identifying Real Silver

There’s a lot of silver necklaces going around the market marketed and sold as real silver. There are several ways to identify whether your necklace is the real deal or not. 

Here are a few tests to help you identify real silver:

Bleach Test

Place a tiny drop of bleach on a hidden part of your jewelry and wait for a few minutes. If there’s discoloration (blackening), it’s real silver, as real silver tarnishes easily.

Magnet Test

This test typically uses a rare-earth magnet (neodymium magnet) to help you identify if your necklace is real or not as silver doesn’t have any effect on magnets, so if your jewelry is attracted to magnets, chances are they are fake.

Hallmarks

Real silver will have marks on them to indicate the ratio of pure silver to other metals “999” for fine or pure silver, 925 for sterling silver, 932 for Argentium silver. Although not all silver items need to be hallmarked like some countries, Australia, for example, does not require hallmarks for their silver items.

Cleaning Silver Jewelry

Due to frequent usage or improper storage, silver will tarnish and will look dull over time. However, silver necklaces are easy to clean, and these are a few methods in cleaning them. 

  • Using silver polishing cloths (bought from jewelers) is the best way to clean and polish jewelry. They are easy to use as they usually come in ready to use packs. Just take one cloth and gently rub your jewelry until it looks clean and shiny. However, this method is only for mildly soiled pieces.
  • You will need aluminum foil, a bowl, water, and baking soda for heavily soiled pieces. First, wrap the foil around the bowl, then fill with water half-way thru, mix in a teaspoon or half a teaspoon of baking soda, then soak your necklaces for a few minutes. If it starts to look shiny, remove the jewelry, rinse with water and wipe with a soft cloth.

Are you selling your silver necklace?

Do you have a pre-loved silver necklace that you’re not using anymore and want out of your hands? We’ll be happy to take it from you and even pay you for it! Here at Nevada Coin Mart, we are the #1 buyer of silver necklace, in Las Vegas and Henderson, even the entire Nevada state! 

We offer free in-store evaluation for your piece using a state-of-the-art Thermo Scientific Niton X-Ray Spectrometer in order to accurately analyze and measure precious metal contents in your piece. This will ensure that you get top-dollar for your items. 

We are open 365 times a year, from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. Come visit us at Nevada Coin Mart® 4065 S. Jones Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89103 or call us up at 702-998-4000.

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