Why We Can't Get Enough of Silver...

Its no secret that the silver market is RED HOT at the moment. The official silver 1oz bullion coin of the USA the 'American Eagle' has been sold out at its mint as has the Canadian equivalent the 'Maple Leaf'.

You are probably aware that the silver and gold prices have been steadily rising, but even we were surprised when we sat down and worked out just how much. When the first zigzag shop opened on 2004 silver bullion was around £119 per kg, its now tipping £778 per kg! Quite the rise, but perhaps even more shocking is the more recent rise over only the last 8 months it has doubled.

At this point you may be wondering how this may be affecting you. Well. you will be pleased to hear all those silver bits of jewellery are suddenly worth a LOT more. Silver can no longer be seen as a cheap metal, it really is super precious now, so we thought you might like to see out top tips for keeping it in fab condition:

1. Always rub your jewellery over with a polishing cloth before you put it away.

Greasy build ups all sit on the surface of jewellery and cause it to tarnish quickly, particularly when its sat in a drawer for a while so it is really worth giving it a rub over with a polishing cloth before you put it away. This should mean its always super sparkly.

2. Store jewels away from direct sunlight.

Keeping jewellery out is another quick way to speed up the oxidisation process on silver. Remember to put it away, either in your jewellery box, wrapped in acid free tissue or in one of our jewellery pouches. It’s definitely worth it!

3. Love your stones…

Soapy residues build up behind stones making them look dull, because it happens slowly, over time you often don’t notice. Luckily the solution to this one is easy giving the back a good scrub under warm running water with a soft toothbrush and some fairy liquid will amaze you.

4. Like cats, jewellery hates swimming!

If you are a regular swimmer, well done you for getting enough exercise! But, did you know that gold, silver, and gemstones can all be damaged by the chemicals in salt or chlorinated water? It is easy to forget to take your jewellery before bathing, but do try, it will definitely thank you for it!

5. Don’t get caught wearing nothing but pearls…

As pearls are an organic gem, some care is needed to keep the beauties in optimum condition. The surface of a pearl can be damaged and dulled by perfume, hairspray, cosmetics, hand and face creams, and a person’s natural skin oil. To minimize contact with any potential irritant, pearls should be the last accessory you put on and the first one to be taken off. As pearls like a little moisture, being worn regularly is good for them as it gives them a chance to breathe.

Occasionally, your pearls can be buffed with a silk cloth to enhance their lustre.

AND AN EXTRA ONE...did you know that we offer a cleaning service. Bring any of your zigzag jewellery back to us and we will polish it up, clean it up, restring it, refresh it whatever it needs. Pop it into a shop and let us surprise you with how fab it can look again.

Inevitably there will be a rise in our silver prices...we have tried to keep these to a minimum but the best thing about zigzag jewellery is that we will not compromise on the quality. We will always have well made, beautiful design led pieces, fairly priced based on the intrinsic precious value. We want to reassure you that we will continue to have a range of reasonably priced pieces for little gifts and thank yous. zigzag jewellery is built to last, its stylish, well made and always uses the best quality gemstones and designs. Its special enough to wear again and again....unfortunately we cant promise all your friends wont be pestering you to borrow it!