Silver is one of the most commonly used metal in jewelry making for its lustrous appearance and affordability. Different jewelry items such as rings, bracelets and necklaces can be made in silver with all options of customizations. But still some people might have questions like is silver jewelry for them, is it hypoallergenic, will it suit, or what composition they can expect to get with their pros and cons.
In this article we are going to discuss all of these questions and answer in detail so you can make informed decisions.
What is Silver Jewelry
Silver is a metal used in jewelry making for more than 10 centuries. It is found in its purest form but is mixed with other metals like copper or nickel to form silver alloys. This silver alloy is then used to make silver jewelry.
Why We Create Silver Alloys
As discussed before, silver cannot be used in its pure form and alloys of silver are made in different compositions for this purpose. This is due to the fact that silver is a very soft metal which cannot retain its shape. That’s why it cant be turned into jewelry and complex designs. For this, jewelers add some other metals such as copper or nickel to increase the overall strength of the metal. This also gives it extra properties like resistant to damages and strong color.
Types of Silver
Silver can used in many compositions in jewelry making due to the soft and malleable nature of pure silver. Most commonly used types of silver are:
1. 925 Sterling Silver
925 sterling silver or simply sterling silver is the most widely used alloy of silver. Most of the times silver jewelry is made in this composition with hallmarks like “925“, “925 ster” or “925 sterling“. It is off white in color with somewhat resistant to damages than other types of silver. Most of the jewelers deal with it that’s why it can be found in any jewelry store dealing with silver.
2. 950 Silver
950 silver is another type of silver alloys containing 95% silver and 5% copper. Due to higher silver content, it is less resistant to scratches and can easily be damaged. It is more whiter and has more lustrous appearance than 925 sterling silver. 925 sterling silver vs 950 silver is a popular debate in silver jewelry. The final decision depends on what owner want from their jewelry.
3. Argentium Silver
Argentium silver or 935 silver is one of the newest form of silver alloys specifically created to resolve tarnishing problem. It is composed of 93.5% silver and 6.5% copper and germanium. It is the brightest alloy of silver and is more whiter and lustrous than expensive metals like white gold, platinum or rhodium.
It is also somewhat better resistant to damages than 950 silver. Comparison of 925 sterling silver vs 935 silver is also made.
Pros of Using Silver Jewelry
There are many pros to discuss for silver jewelry.
1. Affordability
Affordability is the biggest pro of silver. It is a very cheap metal to use. You can expect to pay as minimum as $40 for a ring and similar goes on with necklaces and other jewelries. It can suit the budget of most people who want to wear jewelry at a bear minimum cost.
2. Versatility in Designs
Versatility is designs allows silver jewelry owners to have their own customized jewelries whether it is ring, band, earring, necklace or bracelet. Different designs can also be created in silver jewelry with stones attached. Ones who are looking for their own customized designs, they can choose silver jewelry with ease.
3. Bright Appearance
Silver is a bright lustrous metal which can sometimes look like expensive white metals like white gold, platinum or rhodium. This makes it a better choice in affordable price. An off-white appearance allows silver wearer to have a better look compared to traditional gold looks.
4. Hypoallergenic
Silver is a hypoallergenic metal which does not react with skin. But there is one very important point here. Yes, silver does not react with skin but the other alloys included in silver alloys such as copper and nickel can react. If copper reacts with skin oils and sweat, it will produce green color on the skin. And if nickel reacts with the skin, it will cause some type of allergic reaction.
Unfortunately, we cannot replace copper or nickel because it will lead to price increase which is the most important part on which silver jewelry is sold.
That’s why silver is not recommended for people with sensitive skin. If you have sensitive skin and still want to use silver based jewelry, go for silver plated over copper or rhodium plated over silver.
Cons of Using Silver Jewelry
Silver jewelry also has some cons.
1. Tarnishing
Tarnishing is a chemical process in which a metal reacts with moisture and certain gases in the atmosphere to form a blackish compound over the surface. By this, your silver jewelry will look duller and blackish. This thing can be removed by using some commercial tarnishing removal chemicals leading to extra cost.
This tarnishing process is not that much faster and can take around 2 to 3 months if you wear your silver jewelry regularly without any proper care.
2. High Level Maintenance
Due to tarnishing problem, silver requires high maintenance. This includes doing regular cleaning and using tarnish removal chemicals if jewelry is subjected to it. If you are a person who cannot give adequate time to jewelry care, then probably silver is not for you. Vice versa, if you can take some time and just clean your jewelry regularly, you are good to go.
3. Reactivity with Skin
Silver alloys can react with skin as they have copper and nickel in them. Both of these metals are non hypoallergenic and can react with your skin. Copper can react with sweat and skin oils to make copper salts which are green in color leading to green coloring of your ears or overall skin.
Nickel can also react with skin and will lead to some kind of allergic reaction.
Care Tips to be Taken
Silver jewelry requires high level care for keeping its shine and long lasting look. Following are some of the most important care tips you have to taken.
- Avoid contact with water while showering, bathing or washing hands.
- Do regular cleaning of jewelry and store it safely when not in use.
- Use commercially designed jewelry air tight storage boxes instead of home made wooden boxes.
- Use anti tarnish strips or silica gel to absorb extra moisture in jewelry box.
- Avoid wearing silver jewelry in rainy days or places with high humidity.
What Jewelry can be made in Silver
Silver jewelry can be made in many forms including silver alloy, silver plating, gold filled jewelry and gold vermeil.
1. Silver Alloy
Silver alloy is the jewelry we all are familiarized with. Most people call it simple silver jewelry. It is available in many compositions including 925 silver, argentium silver or 950 silver. This is the easiest one available to get hands on as many silver jewelers deal in it.
2. Silver Plating
Silver plating is another option to go with if you want to buy silver based jewelry. This is often a cheap variant of rhodium plating. Jewelries made in copper or nickel can be plated with silver to enhance their looks and make them protective against tarnishing. It is not used in expensive metals because no one will ever want to have a cheaper metal plating over an expensive metal. As the basic motive of plating is to either protect a metal or to hide its cheapness.
3. Silver-Gold Filled Jewelry
Silver-gold filled jewelry is a type of jewelry in which a thick gold layer is mechanically bonded to silver to give it an overall look of gold at a reduced price. This layer of gold is much thicker than normal gold plating and the risk of tarnishing is eliminated as the layer does not wear off easily.
4. Silver-Gold Vermeil
Silver-gold vermeil contains similar composition like silver-gold filled jewelry but one the gold layer is not mechanically bonded to silver and second it is much thinner than gold filled jewelry. You can say that gold vermeil comes in between gold plating and gold filled jewelry.
Should You Use Silver Jewelry
You should use silver jewelry if you want your jewelry to be in low price range with versatility is designs. If you are also comfortable with high maintenance issue, then silver is the best choice for you. But if you are one who can’t compromise on features like tarnishing and non-hypoallergenic properties, then silver might not be the best choice for you. And you should look for other metals like white gold, platinum or rhodium.