Silver, with the chemical symbol "Ag", is the least rare of all precious metals. It has a specific gravity of 10.5 and a melting point of 960.5⁰c. Unlike other precious metals silver completely dissolves in nitric acid and cyanide solutions. Fine silver (100%) is little used in jewellery because of its softness. Though this property is taken advantage of in making bezels and collars, settings to burnish around stones and irregular shapes. Silver in jewellery is usually alloyed with 7.5% copper to make sterling or standard silver (92.5% pure ) which is harder and more durable than Fine silver.

'Hard' solders are used for joining silver. They contain a minimum specified amount of silver and melt in or above the red heat range. Hence there is a range of five different silver solders which mean melting point between 688⁰C and 765⁰C. These are all called hard solders. They range from 'easy', through 'medium' to 'hard' in melting point and all work around or above red heat. Silver can gradually tarnish or oxidize to gray or black particularly in the presence of sulphides. T.nother treatment of silver is by subjecting it to prolonged high temperature heating, which gives it a dull and patchy look.