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How to Find Sterling Silver

Whether it takes the form of forks and knives, watches or bracelets, sterling silver is a beautiful substance--but it requires care. Sterling is 92.5 percent pure silver, which tarnishes easily, so you have to keep it polished or it loses its shiny elegance. That said, many people love the look of "real" silver, especially at affordable prices. Here's where to find it.

Instructions

- 1
  Shop for new sterling silver online, or in local jewelry and fine gift stores. You'll find specialty Web sites such as The Silver Queen for flatware and Glitzs for silver jewelry. (See Resources.) You may score great prices on the Web, but shopping in person has advantages, too. You often get a better idea if the size, look and feel when you pick up a piece and hold it in your hands.
- 2
  Bid for sterling silver through an online auction site such as Hot Jewelry Auctions. You can get great bargains on items such as sterling silver watches, rings and bracelets.
- 3
  Complete a silverware set that's missing some pieces. Web sites such as Replacements.com carry a wide range of flatware patterns, many of them discontinued. If you don't know what pattern you have, contact a replacement Web site, and a specialist can help you in your quest.
- 4
  Look at estate auctions, in thrift stores, antique shops, pawn shops and hole-in-the-wall shops that sell all kinds of used bric-a-brac. You may have to look through a lot of less-valuable stuff for sterling silver pieces, but you can be pleasantly surprised when you make a find. When the tarnish is removed, old silver patterns carry the charm of days gone by.

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