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Alison Withers
Copyright (c) 2010 Alison Withers Creating a personalised bracelet using the popular Murano glass beads has become popular and fashionable, and they can be made even more special by mixing in some engraved silver charm beads. Silver is one the most popular precious metals. As with other precious metals silver is ductile and malleable, which means that it can be drawn into wire or beaten into sheets and is therefore ideal for use in jewellery. Silver has uses other than jewellery. All through history silver has been used to contain liquids and other substances to preserve them and stop them going off, including wine, water and milk. The first telegraphy machine in 1832 had silver contacts and the substance that made photography possible is silver nitrate. Its chemical symbol is Ag, derived from the Latin for silver, Argentum, meaning white or shining. 925 Sterling Silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals. The term "Sterling Silver", referring to 925 grade of silver, first emerged in England in the 1200s. "Sterling" is believed to come from the Old Norman French esterlin (meaning little star) and Old English "stiere" (strong, firm, immovable). "Sterling" and "pound sterling" as commonly used words developed over a period of time. "Sterilensia" is the first historical mention in 1078 and the term sterling had appeared by the 13th century. Silver was first mined and used for jewellery during the Bronze Age and could be found all over Europe and West Asia. Fine silver is generally too soft for producing large objects, and in Sterling Silver, the silver is usually alloyed with copper to give strength and preserving the malleability of the silver with a high precious metal content. Germanium, zinc and platinum are among the other alloys that can be used as well as various other additives such as silicon and boron. They may be used to reduce the risk of the silver tarnishing, or eliminating firescale, a red or purple stain. Like gemstones, silver has been given many meanings related to spirituality and to the properties it contains. In Chinese Feng Shui Silver is related to the moon, and moon energies. This mineral is said to mirror the soul, to strengthen the link between astral and physical bodies and to enhance a person's intuitive and psychic energies. Silver is mystically considered to improve speech, bring eloquence. It is also purported to attract, enhance and store the energies of gemstones, as well as draw out negative energies. It has been linked to words like glamour, high tech, industrial, graceful aging, telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience, psychometry, intuition, dreams, astral energies, female power, communication, goddess, ornate riches, sleekness and modernity. Like the moon, whose energy controls the rhythm of ocean tides, it is said to have a soothing , calming effect. Many believe it to be excellent for mental, emotional, physical releasing and cleansing and to works on the mind and emotions to enable one to see an overview and to attain emotional balance and patience. Silver has the ability to energize other stones during the new and full moon and to draw negative energy out from the body and replace it with positive energy. It is also traditionally the precious metal that is linked to the 25th wedding anniversary.
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