Learn About Silver

Silver is a little harder than gold but is still a very malleable metal ideal for making jewellery. Due to this softness, silver is combined (alloyed) with other metals. Copper is often used since it adds to the strength without detracting from the beauty of the silver.

Silver is more reactive than gold, and will tarnish, reacting to hydrogen sulfide or sulpher in the air. Simply wearing your silver jewellery can reduce this build up, but it is also necessary to clean your jewellery regularly. This is because it is easier to remove tarnish when it first appears. You should avoid letting your silver get in contact with houshold cleaning agents or chlorine in a swimming pool.

Silver Standards

The most common silver standard in jewellery is sterling silver. Sterling silver has a purity of 92.5%. the other 7 1/2% can be made up of any metal copper is usually a constituent.

Fine silver is 99.9% pure and is too soft to be suitable for many jewellery applications. There is another grade called Britannia Silver that is sometimes used and is 95.8% pure. Have a look at our Hallmarking section for more details on purity and marks.

Silver Pricing

Silver is significantly less expensive than gold, so when you are buying silver jewellery you are largely paying for craftsmanship or stones set into the silver. Silver is a wonderful metal to work with and allows for beautiful and intricate designs.