Argentium Silver vs Sterling Silver
Argentium silver and sterling silver are two of the common silver types used in jewelry making. Both of the types offer amazing benefits to attract customers. However, some people may find themselves confused in deciding which type they should choose and what can be expect from it.
In this article, we’ll do a detailed comparison of argentium silver vs sterling silver. From stating exactly what benefit each of them offers to a buying guide which will surely help you in making the perfect purchase.
What is Argentium Silver
Argentium silver is a silver alloy made up of 93.5% of silver and 6.5% of copper and germanium’s mixture. It offers some unique benefits to its buyers which other silver alloys used in jewelry making cant. For example, every alloy of silver except argentium silver can tarnish, say it 925 sterling silver, 950 silver or any other. Argentium silver can also be formed in other compositions of 940 argentium silver and 960 argentium silver. But 935 argentium silver is the most common.
Properties of Argentium Silver
Argentium silver offers the following set of properties.
1. Brighter Appearance
Argentium silver is a white lustrous metal outshining all other silver alloys. This makes it a unique metal offering such great appearance at a low price compared to platinum and rhodium.
2. Tarnishing Resistant
Argentium is a highly tarnish resistant metal. It was specifically created to address the tarnishing problem. Tarnishing can be a huge hectic for people with silver jewelry as it can demand excessive cleaning and care. Argentium silver saves an owner for all of these things.
3. Customizability
Argentium Silver can offer more customization options if you get a jeweler dealing with this metal. Generally, you don’t often find jewelers dealing in argentium silver compared to sterling silver. Once you find one, they can offer you more options of customizability. For example, argentium silver can with stand high temperatures in a process called scolding. This let’s jewelers deal it with more freely and create designs as per the order of the buyer.
What is Tarnishing
Tarnishing is a common problem affecting cheaper metals like silver, copper and their alloys. It is a chemical process in which silver or copper reacts with atmospheric chemicals to form unwanted products making the metal look duller in appearance. This can be a matter of great concern as it can happen more often if you don’t take care of your jewelry properly.
When tarnished, silver appears blackish in color which can impact the overall appearance. This blackish surface is also called patina.
Such tarnished surfaces can be treated by using home made natural or commercial tarnish removal chemicals which can add up an extra cost. All it takes is applying some chemical on the tarnished surface and washing it after some time.
Argentium Silver vs 935 Silver
Argentium silver and 935 silver can be confused as same type of metal. But it is important to note that they can be different in properties and composition. For example, 935 silver is simply made of 93.5% silver and 6.5% copper with no extra additions of germanium to make it tarnish resistant. That’s why 935 silver is not a tarnishing resistant metal and will start to tarnish after 2 to 3 months of excess usage.
So, you can say that yes the purity level of both argentium silver and 935 silver is same but they differ in their properties.
What is Sterling Silver?
Sterling silver is the oldest alloy of silver being used in jewelry making. It is composed of 92.5% silver and 7.5% of copper or nickel. Jewelers can use a combination of copper and nickel or only copper to avoid any allergic reactions. Due to its 92.5% silver content, it is also termed as 925 sterling silver.
The basic motive to add copper is to strengthen the silver alloy so it can withstand higher temperatures and processes like molding, scolding etc. Common hallmarks to identify sterling silver are “925“, “.925” or “925 ster“.
Properties of Sterling Silver
Sterling silver has the following set of properties to offer.
1. Affordability
Sterling silver is an affordable metal which can fit into any budget. You can easily get a ring made of sterling silver for as less as $40. And same goes with other jewelry items like necklaces and bracelets. This makes sterling silver an ideal choice in a low budget range.
2. Availability
Sterling silver jewelry can be found in any online and offline jewelry store. It is readily available all across the world. As more jewelers deal with it, you can expect to have more customization options and availability of designs compared to argentium silver.
3. Non-Hypoallergenic
Basically silver on itself is a hypoallergenic metal which never reacts with the skin. But the copper or nickel content used in it can be a cause of skin reactions and allergies. For example, copper present in sterling silver can react with skin oils and sweat to turn your skin green. Apart from this, nickel can also react with skin causing redness, blisters or any sort of allergies.
You can avoid use of nickel in sterling silver by buying nickel free silver but copper can’t be avoided. It is important part what makes it sterling silver. So, it is always better to avoid sterling silver if you have sensitive skin.
Argentium Silver vs Sterling Silver – A Comparison
Here is a comparison of argentium silver vs sterling silver to help you decide what actually can suit you.
1. Price
Both of these metals can have a lot of price difference in between. Argentium silver is commonly 3 to 4 times more expensive than sterling silver. Some people might think it of being too expensive and some might not. It all depends on for what purpose you’re going to buy it. If you’re interested in other benefits of argentium silver such as non-tarnishing, whiter appearance etc. then it can be a good choice.
Sterling silver costs way less than what argentium silver will.
2. Appearance
Argentium silver is a bright white colored metal resembling other expensive white metals like rhodium, platinum etc. This white nature is mainly due to the addition of germanium. In fact, some researches show that argentium silver is even more whiter than rhodium, which is commonly used to plate over sterling silver for better appearance.
Sterling silver is not that much bright and gives an off-white appearance. If both metals are kept in front of each other, you can easily differentiate between argentium silver and sterling silver. Here is a common example showing it.
3. Shelf Life
There is not much difference between the shelf life of both if take care of properly. Both metals can easily stand for 20 to 30 years with regular cleaning and maintenance. But if you get little to less time for maintenance, argentium silver can have a better shelf life compared to what sterling silver can offer.
4. Care and Maintenance
Care and maintenance can also be a decisive factor between argentium silver an sterling silver. Argentium silver requires very little to almost no care. The only thing you have to look for is the any scratches or damages appearing on the surface. Note that you’ll still have to clean your jewelry to keep its shine intact.
Sterling silver is one of those metals which require high level of care and regular cleaning. If you wear your sterling silver jewelry regularly, expect it to tarnish with time. For this, you will be using tarnish removing chemicals at least once a month.
Which Silver Should You Buy?
Both silver types offer their own unique properties for buyers. It all depends on one person’s exclusive needs in deciding what silver they should buy.
If you’re one who can pay more for their jewelry to get extra benefits and have better appearance, then argentium silver is made for you. It can save your precious time what you’ll be spending in case of sterling silver.
But if you are on a low budget and can compromise on tarnishing factor, then sterling silver is a good choice for you.