Sterling silver is used for jewellery, which comes in various styles and designs. Silver never actually goes into the piercing, but can be worn on the outside of the body with out any problems. A number of silver captives that hang from closure rings are offered and come in great designs. Very popular also, are the navel rings, which sit inside the belly button, and enhance your belly.

Sterling Silver
Sterling silver is an alloy of 92 1/2% (silver and 7 1/2% copper). Craftsmen for jewellery and flatware use it commercially.

Coin Silver
Coin silver contains 90% silver and 10% copper. It is so called because it was used for U.S.Silver coins before 1966.

Mexican Silver
It is highly used by Mexican and American Indian craftsmen. Its silver content is generally above 90%.

Spring Silver
Sterling silver when reduced as much as ten times its original thickness by rolling or drawing to harden it is called spring silver. It is usually used to make tie and money clips.
 
When ordering silver, the type thickness, and width or shape must be specified. Sterling silver is the type usually used and is usually sold soft. Silver may also be purchased half-hard, hard, and spring hard. Half-hard and hard silver are used for pins and pierced objects that are left flat and do not require silver soldering.

Test for Silver
When a drop of nitric acid is applied
Sterling silver turns cloudy cream.
Plated ware-the base metal will turn green.
Nickel silver turns dark or blackish.

Silver when pickled (cleaned in hot sulfuric acid) becomes glittering white; nickel silver turns red.

Pure silver, when heated to light red and then cooled remains white while sterling silver turns black.