Frequently Asked Questions
Edinburgh Silver
PO Box 5564
East Renfrewshire
G77 9AR
Business hours are
Email - info@silver1.co.uk Contact telephone number - 0141 639 2361 International +00441416392361
Engraving Fonts Link - https://www.edinburghsilver.co/blog/category/engraving-fonts/
Returning a product
You may cancel your contract with us for the goods you order at any time up to the end of the 14th. working day from the day after you receive the ordered goods.
Once you have notified us by email - info@silver1.co.uk - that you are cancelling your contract, any sum debited to us - less postage costs - from your credit card will be re-credited to your account PROVIDED THAT the goods in question are returned by recorded delivery at your own cost, received by us in the condition they were in when delivered to you and are accompanied by the original packaging, invoice and all details of the original order are received with it. If you do not return the goods we shall not be obliged to credit the purchase price for the goods to you. Engraved items cannot be returned.
Q. Do you check your items prior to delivery.
A. Yes we unbox check and clean/polish every single item prior to delivery.
Q. What does Edinburgh Silver Cruthaich mi mean?
A. Edinburgh Silver Made me
Q1 The question most people want the answer to - is buying on the internet SAFE
A. Making a purchase from our website is quite literally as safe as using a bank. We do not store any credit card details supplied to us, as we operate direct links with our bank via the bank approved payment gateway Worldpay.
Q2- How long does delivery take.
A. We aim to deliver within 1 - 3 days including engraving. If you need a gift in a hurry, please telephone 01416392361 we can often deliver next day, anywhere in the UK. Engraving your gift will not hold up your delivery.
Q3 - Cost of delivery.
A. Delivery Charges & Timescale UK Only
2nd Class Recorded : £2.50 - 2-5 days
1st. class recorded £3.50 - 1-3 days
Guaranteed next day £8.99
USA Canada & Australia: £26.00 7 - 10 days
Contact telephone number - 0141 - 639 - 2361 International +0044141 639 2361
Q4 - What is sterling/solid silver.
A. Silver that is at least 92.5 percent pure with 7.5 parts of another metal, usually copper, to make the piece harder. The word "Sterling" is the best known and most respected marking in use today. Pure silver alone is too soft for everyday use. Copper is the metal commonly used to give "Sterling" its added stiffness and wearing qualities. Sterling is often referred to as solid silver. ..
Q5 - Your prices are lower than others. Will I be getting the best quality?
A. Our prices are lower than our rivals because we trade exclusively on the Internet. Thus, we do not bear the burden of costs associated with High Street shops, brochures, etc. the silver that you will receive is top quality and is made in the UK..
Q6 - Do you have a shop local to me where I can view the goods?
A. We are an Internet-only business and do not have any showrooms or shops. We can only display the goods on our web site. High resolution photos are available and we will do our best to answer any of your questions...
Phone:
Freephone UK 0141-639-2361
International +00441416392361
The savings that we make in not running shop premises are passed on to you by way of our low prices.
Q7- What should I do if I have any problems?
A. In the unlikely event that you experience problems with silver bought from us, please Contact us to explain the problem. We will resolve any problem to your satisfaction swiftly.
Cutlery questions
Q8- Can I buy cutlery replacements or loose pieces instead of a full setting?
A. If you are looking to extend your collection, or are missing a number of items and you would like to replace them, then we will be able to assist you. See our replacement items Page for more details.
It is a good idea to order some extra pieces when ordering a set because people inevitably lose the odd teaspoon and small items in particular which can be thrown away by mistake. Our order form has a section where additional loose pieces may be ordered so that you have exactly matching pieces now, in case you need to make up the numbers of missing pieces at some future date. Do remember that patterns can change slightly over the years. Ordering a few extra spare pieces now avoids the problem of finding good matches later.
Q9 - Will the extra pieces match my collection?
A. If you are concerned that the latest 'version' of the pattern may be slightly different to your existing collection please note that patterns can change slightly over the years, even from the same manufacturer. For this reason, we cannot guarantee 100% perfect matches to previously made items. Traditional patterns will always be close, if not exact matches, but these too can vary with time.
Q10- I am trying to find pieces to match a set originally made by your suppliers but I don't see the pattern in your website.
A. Please contact us and we will see what we can do.
Freephone UK 0141 639 2361
International +00441416392361
Q11 - Which credit cards can I use to pay?
A. You may use any of the ones shown at the top of each page of our website.
See our Privacy Page for more information on the security standards that are provided to you as a consumer via our payment service providers.
Q12- What does "EPNS" mean?
A. EPNS means electro-plated nickel silver. nickel is a base metal alloy of nickel, zinc & copper. A layer of thick pure silver is deposited electrolytically on this base metal to give a silver finish.
Q13 - Silver Plate - how many microns thickness?
A. Silver plated cutlery is now 35 microns thick. This may not apply to any silver plated items on our Special Offers section.
Do take note that other manufacturers, particularly those not from the UK. may plate to much thinner micron depths. "As a very approximate guide, work on at least 1 micron of silver thickness for every year of intended use.".
Q14 - Why stainless blades with silver cutlery.
A. Please note that for silver or silverplated items which have a blade, e.g. table knives or fruit knives, the blade itself will be made of stainless steel. This is because silver is not a strong enough metal to provide a cutting or sharp edge. This may result in a slight colour difference. The use of stainless steel for blades is common practice and will ensure a longer life for your cutlery.
Because knives are made from two pieces (the handle and the blade) it is industry standard procedure for the blade to be hollow but filled with a cement compound into which the blade slots. In former times, some manufacturers would fill the handle with lead to give the impression of heavy silver filling but this process has now been declared illegal and our suppliers follow standard practices. The outcome is a well balanced, ideal weighted knife that is perfect for everyday use. Knife weights will vary from pattern to pattern owing to design influences.
Q15 - Dishwasher safe - What does that mean?
A. Where indicated on our site (and this does not apply to every item that we sell) cutlery may be shown as "dishwasher safe". This means that it is safe to wash your cutlery in a dishwasher but only if you follow the dishwasher manufacturers'/detergent makers' recommendations fully, and take sensible precautions. For example, you should try to avoid sharp points or blades from being allowed to scratch on smooth or mirror surfaces. Cutlery should not be allowed to stand for a period in an un-washed state, nor to dry for a long time after the wash cycle has ended. If you do use a dishwasher, place knives blade-down in the cutlery basket. Some advise avoiding putting silver and stainless steel items together in the same basket due to a chemical reaction between stainless steel and some detergents which can leave stains on silverware. Note that silver and EPNS knives have stainless steel blades so you will appreciate that the two metals are already in close proximity. No material is truly "stainless" and cutlery is no exception. It is better to avoid dishwashers altogether and to wash cutlery by hand, as soon as possible after use, and to dry the pieces quickly with a soft cloth.
Customers with silver or silver plate cutlery should also see our section on Caring for Silver.
Remember that it may be worth ordering some extra loose pieces in case of inevitable losses, particularly of small items, at some future date. Our order form allows for the ordering of loose extras.
Q16 - What is the best way to clean silver cutlery
A. Cleaning Silver Cutlery
The sure-fire way to prevent damage to silver cutlery is to rinse it soon after after use with warm water and then wash it thoroughly with normal washing up liquid. This will remove any chemicals that could interact with the silver and tarnish it. Take special care with forks which are more likely to become tarnished because they come into greatest contact with foods.
Different foods can have a harmful effect on silver. Eggs and cheese contain high levels of sulphur and thus, are particularly damaging for silver. Contact with these foods could cause silver to corrode over time if cutlery is left unwashed.
After washing and rinsing with soapy warm water using a non-abrasive sponge or cloth, dry the silver pieces. Do not rub too hard or scrub as silver is a malleable metal that can easily be damaged or scratched. For this reason, it is recommended that pieces of silver cutlery be washed separately to ensure that they do not clash against each other and cause damage. Silver must be separated from stainless steel, a chemical reaction between the two can cause silver to tarnish or stain.
Ensure that the cloths to be used have not come into contact with any abrasive materials that could scratch the silver cutlery. Pan scourers and brushes should not be used on silver. Silver is a soft metal, if scratches or marks can be seen on the silver, then polishing has been too forceful.
Although silver cutlery can be cleaned in a dishwasher, hand-washing is better. If a dishwasher is used, make sure that the silver pieces are separated from each other to minimise damage. In particular, silver must be separated from stainless steel, a chemical reaction between the two ccan cause silver to tarnish. Once the cycle in the dishwasher is complete, immediately remove the silver cutlery and dry it thoroughly.
Silver should not be left wet for long periods and should never be left overnight without drying. how to clean silver
Antique Silver
We fully restore our antique silver to a nearly new condtion. You can see the resteration of a silver christening spoon. Restoring antique silver napkin ring
Cleaning Tarnished Silver Cutlery
Chemicals in the air can and will cause silverware to tarnish. In addition, silver is also likely to tarnish faster in highly humid environments than in dryer climates. When sulphur comes into contact with silver, silver sulphide is formed on the surface. This is usually first noticed when silver takes on a yellowish hue, which if left untreated will turn brown and in severe cases of oxidisation, the metal can bear dark brown or blue or black patches.
To remove the tarnish is in effect to change the silver sulphide back to silver, so that the former shine of the cutlery can be restored. Cleaning with a special-purpose silver cloth can restore the shine of the cutlery that is lightly tarnished. Use the cloth to wipe and polish the piece of silver, firmly but without excessive rubbing, and its original shine can be recovered.
If a piece of silver is badly tarnished, commercial cleaning products can be used. There are several types of cleaning products on the market. The first kind comes in the form of soap foam. Apply the foam soap onto a dry, soft cloth and rub it over the tarnished areas until the shine on the cutlery is restored..
Another type of cleaning product comes in the form of liquids into which silver pieces can be dipped. Silver pieces should not be dipped in such liquids for more than 15 seconds. These polish dips could be applied to pieces that are intricately designed and have hard-to-reach curves etc.. By immersing the silver cutlery in the liquid dips, the tarnished hard-to-reach areas will become shiny again. Remove the silver once the required immersion time is up. Then rinse the chemicals off with warm water. Once the cutlery has been rinsed off, dry it completely with a soft cloth and remove all trace of chemicals. For silver pieces that contain other materials, ensure that the liquid dips do not come into contact with these other materials.
Want to know more about what the silver hallmarks that are on all of our products mean? We have written an article to discuss this! Click here to find out more.
An important part of owning a piece of silver is cleaning it and we have also written a few words about this. Click here to read more.
Most of our items can be engraved silver with a personal message, or a name or date. We have a whole page dedicated to giving you the most relevant information, and guides to engraving.
