As jewelry trends come and go, silver jewelry remains popular across all economic and fashion spectra. Silver has attracted man's fascination for many thousands of years.

Ancient civilizations found silver deposits plentiful on or near the earth's surface. Relics of these civilizations, include jewelry, religious artifacts, and food vessels formed from the durable, malleable metal. This metal took on near mystical qualities in marking important historical milestones throughout the ages, and served as a medium of exchange.

Today, silver is sought as a valuable and practical industrial commodity, as well as an appealing investment precious metal.

Although silver is relatively scarce, it is the most plentiful and least expensive of the precious metals. The largest silver producing countries are Mexico, Peru, the United States, Australia and Chile.

So, that elegant pair of glimmering sterling silver drop earrings once prized by your late grandmother looks great today whether you wear the silver jewelry casually or put them on for a formal occasion.

Of course, not everyone is fond of estate silver jewelry, preferring to buy silver jewelry that is new and exciting, especially something designed by one of today`s contemporary artisans. It is these same designers who are seeing a mini boom in business today as shoppers discover the value of owning quality sterling silver jewelry and at prices much lower than gold. Tight economy or not, if your creations are especially attractive, you`ll catch the attention of savvy buyers.

Hot Diamonds is one such designing team producing some of the most sought after sterling silver jewelry of our time. Don`t let the name fool you, Hot Diamonds does feature at least one small brilliant cut diamond in every silver jewelry piece, but the accent is just as much on the metal as it is on the precious gemstones. You can find earrings, bangles, bracelets, pendants, necklaces, and rings featuring contoured shapes and fluid lines with a contemporary twist.

Each Hot Diamonds piece is part of a wider style line with such names as "just add love" or "back to nature" and "moonstruck" among others to captivate the imagination of buyers. For instance, the "just add love" line features modern and whimsical hearts and stars, an inviting style prized by young adult buyers. The "after hours" line represents the designers` evening wear collection, just perfect for a night out on the town for varying levels of formality.

Why should you choose sterling silver jewelry? James Allen.com states that if you researched the properties of silver you`d quickly realize how soft silver is by itself. Sterling silver is made up of 92.5 percent silver with the remaining 7.5 percent copper or some other metal. That is why you`ll find silver flatware pieces, even jewelry, well over a century old in excellent condition: durable sterling silver is one metal that can stand the test of time.

If you were to choose earrings made of virtually pure silver, you`d risk having them break in short order. Always buy jewelry with an eye to have it last to ensure that your investment is worthwhile and can retain its look.

A big trend for sterling silver jewelry fans is to visit estate sales to see what silver jewelry buys can be had. If you`re a fan of antiques, you`ll find the best buys at these types of sales, particularly those managed directly by the family. When an auctioneer or estate planner is brought in, prices are often marked up to cover their costs much as an antique retailer would have to charge more to cover her overhead.

For new sterling silver, your options are quite broad from flea markets to mall jewelry stores to online merchants. At flea markets you risk dealing with someone who may not be able to vouch that the earrings or pendant you want to purchase are, in fact, sterling silver. With a mall jewelry store, the merchant can attest to what they`re selling, while offering a guarantee.

If shopping online, make sure that you deal with a reputable jeweler such as James Allen. You could save a lot of money if you find the right retailer as Internet stores typically have a much lower overhead and savings are passed on to you in the form of lower prices. One can also secure valuable advice and tips for buying silver jewelry from the James Allen Silver Jewelry Internet blog.

Regardless of where you purchase your sterling silver jewelry, you`re buying classical jewelry with a strong, contemporary appeal. Whether choosing antique or contemporary sterling silver earrings, pendants, bangles, rings, necklaces, or bracelets you can reap the satisfaction of finding and wearing one of the finest of all metals.

Founded in 1998 by James Allen Schultz and his wife Michele Sigler, the idea behind James Allen was simple: Offer the world's most beautiful diamond engagement rings and silver jewelry, all at an extraordinary value. While the idea of selling fine engagement diamond and silver jewelry over the Internet seemed strange back in 1998, James Allen has now grown to be one of the largest and most successful of all online diamond retailers. The company is regularly featured in trade magazines such as "National Jeweler" and has been profiled by such famous publications as "The Washington Post" Newspaper, "NBC News", "US News & World Report" and "National Public Radio".

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