A gift of silver

A gift of silver not only adds a positive significance, but will be valued by the receiver for years. Dinesh Kumar describes the joy of giving something of lasting value in silver to a loved one.

HAND-CRAFTED decorative boxes, small statues of Lord Ganesha, bowls and genteel boxes — silver never goes out of fashion. A corner in a drawing room is enhanced by a shining silver object. Or a handpainted goblet. So exquisite is the workmanship of these items that a drawing room can gets transformed by just a few silver objects. They also make very good presentation pieces in the festive season.

In fact, a gift of silver not only adds a positive significance, but will be valued by the receiver for years. For the conservative minded, a plain silver coin makes a good, valuable gift.

Silver is, of course, bought throughout the year but more so on Dhanteras, which falls a day before Diwali. That is the day when people buy something for the house as a sign of prosperity. What better occasion than to bring Lord Ganesha and Lakshmi home, the symbols of continuing riches? A small statue costs Rs 800, while a bigger one would well be Rs 5,000.

Even corporates have discovered the importance of silver gifts. Earlier, customers preferred a shining silver statue or goblet, but now the trend is more towards oxidised pieces and those with home painting. Even gold plated silver is in demand. Cups, incense stands, pooja thalis, small boxes and diyas are the fast moving items. Silver bowls and trays are ideal when you want to make an expensive gift to someone important. Of course, a coin can be purchased for about Rs 100.

The reason why silver gifts have remained popular over the years is that they can be exchanged for cash at any jeweller’s shop.

Most shops will take back a silver article at 90 per cent of the day’s rate. The items thus have lasting value.

Then there are silver spoons and dinner sets. The shining white set has a charm of its own and imparts a very rich feeling. One must be careful of buying sterling silver, which means a purity of not less than 925 with the balance being a metal like copper, which imparts it hardness.

Pure silver is brittle and must be mixed with something else. But some jewellers may mix other metals and bring down the purity. So it is best to be careful while buying the silver. The best is to buy from a reputed shop which promises to take back the metal.

Silver decorations and gifts are long term and stand out. They are much better than other expensive items. In any case, dry fruit and mithai is available in plenty during the fes4tive season that a bit of innovation will make the gift valued. What better could it be if you are giving something of lasting value to a loved one?