Interesting facts

Spoon rings have a long history, believed to date back as early as 17th century England. They were originally made from silver spoons stolen from kitchens or public houses by servants and the poorest of society. The spoon would be bent and shaped to form a wearable ring, and given as a symbol of love or betrothal to a sweetheart. In the Victorian era, spoon rings became more elaborate and were often engraved with intricate designs, symbols or initials. In the 20th century, spoon rings fell out of fashion, but have recently experienced a resurgence in popularity as quirky statement pieces of fashion jewellery.

Silver, a chemical element with the symbol Ag, which derives from the Latin word "argentum" (hence the name 'Ag Jewellery')

The origin of silver can be traced back to the mining of silver ores, which occurs in many places around the world. The most notable silver mining areas in ancient times were in present-day Turkey, Greece, and Spain. The ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean and Asia were among the first to use silver for various purposes, and the metal was also prized by cultures in Central and South America.
In terms of mining, silver is usually extracted from ore deposits, which can be found in veins or as disseminated minerals in rock. The most common ore mineral of silver is acanthine (silver sulphide), and silver is usually extracted from the ore by smelting or leaching.
Silver has been and still is obtained often as a by-product of mining for other metals, like copper, lead and gold. The largest silver mines today are located in China, Peru, Mexico, and Chile.

Sterling silver is a type of silver alloy that is made up of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals, typically copper. The origin of sterling silver can be traced back to medieval England. In the 12th century, the English government established a standard for silver purity known as the "sterling standard" (925 parts silver to 75 parts alloy). This standard was established in order to ensure that the silver being used in trade and commerce was of a consistent and reliable quality.

The name "sterling" comes from the term "Easterlings", which was used to describe German traders who came to England to sell their silver goods. The term "sterling" eventually came to be associated with the silver alloy itself, and it became known as "sterling silver."

In the centuries that followed, sterling silver became a popular material for a wide range of items, including jewellery, flatware, and decorative items. Today, sterling silver is still widely used in the manufacture of various types of goods, and it is considered to be a high-quality and durable material.

 The origins of UK silver hallmarking can be traced back to the 1300s, when King Edward I required all silver items to be assayed and marked to ensure their purity. This process has continued to the present day, ensuring that silver items produced in the UK meet the highest quality standards. 

 Wardens from the Guild of Goldsmiths and Silversmiths would visit the silversmith workshops but later it became the responsibility of the silversmith to take their items to the Goldsmiths' Hall and this is where the origin of the word hallmark comes from. It is literally the mark of the hall. 

UK silver hallmarks are a series of symbols stamped onto silver items to indicate that the item is of a certain silver content. The hallmark typically consists of four components: a maker’s mark, a standard mark, a date letter, and a duty mark. The maker’s mark is a unique symbol assigned to each silversmith or silver manufacturing firm. In more recent years the standard mark indicates the purity of the silver, such as 925 indicating sterling silver. The date letter is a letter that corresponds to a certain year, and the duty mark indicates a tax was paid on the item. In the UK.

The Assay Office Mark is a small symbol such as a panther head for London, anchor for Birmingham, crown for Sheffield, these are the most common.

In todays world of mass produced Highstreet silver, you may find that silver is often stamped simply with '925'