For centuries, silver has remained the favorite metal for making jewelry and utensils. Sterling silver jewelry is very popular amongst all sections of people and highly in demand for its strength and beauty. According to IDEX Online News, jewelry and watch demand strengthened significantly in April 2011 in the US market with total sales rising by 11.2% over the same month in 2010. Discount sterling silver jewelry constitutes a significant portion of total jewelry sales because of its affordability and ease of maintenance.

Discount sterling silver jewelry is highly demanded because of its superb finish and durability. Since fine silver is 99.9% pure and very soft, it is highly unsuitable for making jewelry. Consequently, fine silver is mixed with an alloy, such as copper, zinc, platinum or germanium, to produce a metal that is a comparatively tougher, but as ductile and beautiful as the original one.

Thus, sterling silver jewelry is made from silver alloy which is 92.5% pure. The purpose of mixing these metals with silver is to improve its features by reducing casting porosity, eliminating fire scale and increasing its resistance to tarnish. This kind of jewelry is often plated with a thin coat of fine silver to provide it with a shiny finish through a process called flashing. Some jewelry items may also be plated with rhodium or gold to provide it with a different yet bright look.

The sharp rise in the prices of gold has contributed to the popularity of discount sterling silver jewelry. The following are some advantages of this kind of jewelry:

* It is affordable
* Since silver is mixed with another metal, the resultant product is hard and durable enough to make different types of jewelry items
* It can be used to make a variety of elegant designs with the help of different types of polishes or stones
* It can be used to make complex designs without the fear of it breaking or disintegrating
* It looks good and thus can be worn with any type of outfit or for any occasion
* An ideal gift for your loved ones
* It goes with any type of skin tone
* It can be repaired and polished easily

Despite the various advantages of this kind of jewelry, there is a high probability of it getting tarnished. This can be resolved by regularly cleaning your jewelry items with a jewelry cloth. Several jewelers use preservatives, such as rhodium plating and lacquers or corrosion inhibitor treatments for keeping their silver items tarnish free.