Our most important metal... hallmarked 925 Sterling Silver 

 At Polyanna Designs we always work with sterling silver.  Nickel free and made in Europe, it is stamped with the worldly recognised  sterling silver hallmark 925 so that you know you have purchased genuine high quality sterling silver jewellery. 

Silver is a beautiful precious metal but is too soft for use in jewellery making, whereas sterling silver is perfect. Sterling silver is an alloy, made up of copper and 92.5% pure silver, and this quality is reflected in the 925 sterling silver hallmark stamp. A wonderful material to work with, sterling silver really shows off the beautiful Baltic amber and gorgeous gemstones that feature in our earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. It is prized for its bright, white lustre and great versatility; it is the perfect metal to complement all colours of gemstone, as you can see for yourself in this Elegant Baltic Amber Sterling Silver Tennis Bracelet.

If cared for properly then sterling silver jewellery has everlasting beauty and value. In fact, sterling silver is constantly going up in price so that as well as being a pleasure to own, and wonderful to wear, it is an investment too – better to invest your money in guaranteed quality sterling silver rather than waste it on cheap imitations. 

If you are someone who has experienced an allergy to jewellery you have purchased elsewhere then it is because you have unknowingly bought jewellery made from cheap metal compounds rather than sterling silver. It is often a reaction to the nickel within mixed metal alloys that causes an allergic reaction and often people who have reacted to jewellery previously choose not to wear jewellery at all! But why should you miss out on accessorising with characterful earrings, bracelets, necklaces, or rings? With our focus on quality, we can guarantee that all the jewellery we offer is nickel free sterling silver. Any gold pieces on our website, such as the Baltic Amber in Unique Gold Jewellery Set, will be made of 14ct gold plated over hallmarked sterling silver, so you can be assured that the jewellery you choose will still be high quality and allergen free.

Once you have chosen your sterling silver jewellery, we have a few top tips to help keep it looking its best.  Firstly, always think of your jewellery as the finishing touch to your outfit and put it on after applying products such as perfume and hairspray, avoiding contact with either. You should also prevent your sterling silver from coming into contact with household detergents, chemicals or solvents, and salty water, chlorine or skin creams. Take off your jewellery before swimming, taking a shower or doing the washing up if you want to maintain its beauty for years to come.  Cleaning with a soft polishing cloth will help maintain its lustre and sterling silver that is worn and then gently washed and dried immediately will seldom require tarnish removal. Moisture in the air or on the skin can cause discolouration due to the copper present in all sterling silver jewellery – a simple solution is to use a specialist silver cloth, such as those made by Connoisseurs, to polish your sterling silver jewellery frequently.

Most of all enjoy wearing your beautiful sterling silver jewellery and thank you for appreciating local, independent retailers and handmade British designs.