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Designers have come up with lightweight silver jewellery, which looks elegant, but requires good care, says
Dhanvanti Ramarao
You say ‘gold is a must…diamonds are a girl’s best friends…platinum is what you deserve’. But considering the cost and the variety, it is silver which attracts most of the style-conscious people today, as it gives them the freedom of experimenting without worrying about any holes in their pockets. Silver jewellery has been traditionally worn in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and in the north-eastern states as well. It was adorned by both men and women. Women wore it to enhance their beauty, whereas men wore it as a symbol of power. But the times have changed, and so has women's association with the metal gear. Besides its pure form, there is the all-time favourite oxidised silver, dull silver and black silver. Why would anybody need platinum or steel then? Know the secret? Wear it with a sari, salwar-kameez, denims, tracks, skirts. Yes, silver has always been adored for its aesthetic value equally by funky college girls as well as classic page-3 women. Today women prefer light and comfortable jewellery so as not to get exhausted during their fast-paced routine. Therefore, keeping in view the demand and needs, designers have come up with lightweight silver jewellery, which, besides being light and comfy, also looks elegant. Silver serves as the choice accessory material for women from all classes of life. It goes well around the ankle or waist as rings, bangles and bracelets, and also around the neck and on ears. But silver jewellery gets oxidised very fast in Indian climatic conditions, and loses its gleam when not properly cleaned and maintained. If you want to take good care of your collection, keep in mind a few reminders to help you maintain the sparkle of your jewellery. Understand the nature of your silver ware. Being an alloy, this type of jewellery is combined with another metal, often copper, to harden and retain its shape. The combination’s proportion is 92.5 per cent fine silver and 7.5 per cent copper. This is important to know so that you apply the proper cleaning solution to your jewellery. Avoid subjecting your silver ware to conditions that can cause tarnishing. Tarnishing is caused by the reaction between silver, oxygen and sulphur. Activities that cause this reaction include swimming while wearing silver jewellery, and applying hair spray while wearing silver items. If tarnish does develop, you can do a simple procedure of boiling the jewellery in a solution of sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate in a glass dish lined with aluminium foil. You should always remove your jewellery before using any type of product with chemicals or abrasives such as chlorine, bleach, ammonia, alcohol, turpentine or acetone. That includes finger nail polish, dish detergent, make-up and even hair spray. Even though you would feel like wearing your favourite silver jewellery all the time, it is advisable to follow these simple steps to keep them ever shining as they are. The best possible method to store them is in a jewellery box.
— MF
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