Even if you are not a specialist in precious metals, you must have heard of silver!
Silver is a relatively well-known metal which is used in a variety of areas. More widely used than gold for example, it is used furniture, silverware, coins, for electrical or electronic applications and even in the manufacture of music, for example the plating of certain guitar strings.
It has many advantages:
Because of its strength and the fact that it is malleable, we can give it almost any shape, this is one of the reasons why it is so well known and widespread.
Silver is also a metal that is said to be ductile which means that it can stretch without breaking. With 1 gram of silver we can stretch a wire of 2600 meters!
Its properties, color and non-allergenic nature make silver the ideal candidate for jewelry making.
But then, is the silver we use the same everywhere? Are there different qualities of silver? How to recognize it? Is silver a metal adapted to a specific wedding band or engagement ring ?
We answer all your questions !
Key concepts
Let’s start with a few basic concepts:
—— 1. What is silver?
The word silver comes from the Indo-European word Ar-jun, which means shiny. Discovered in ancient times, it was long coveted by the Egyptian and Greek civilisations, to name but two, because of its white colour with grey reflections.
While for a long time the most common means of exchange was the bartering of objects or services, the first coins minted were made of silver (and also gold).
Its brilliant sheen has enabled silver to establish itself as one of the precious metals frequently used by goldsmiths and in jewelry for thousands of years.
a. The colour of silver
A piece of silver jewelry will be bright white when it is first produced. At this stage it is almost impossible to distinguish it from white gold or even platinum, the other famous white metals in jewelry.
Two tips for becoming a connoisseur:
Silver is a lighter metal than gold and platinum, so you can feel it by comparing them by weight.
The hallmark is also an excellent way to recognise it very simply - we will come back to this point a little later.
But is silver naturally white? Well, not quite.
The white colour of silver comes from an operation called rhodium plating.
Rhodium plating is a technique whereby a thin layer of liquid metal, rhodium, is deposited, on the base of the metal to give it its characteristic white colour.
Did you know that?
Rhodium is a noble and very precious metal of the platinum family. It is characterised by its high durability, low electrical and thermal conductivity and hardness. As with white gold or black gold, rhodium not only gives the metal its final colour, but also acts as a shield to protect it!
This method therefore gives silver its colour but, like all metals that are rhodium-plated, the downside is that silver will tend to develop a patina over time.
What does patina mean?
A metal or material is said to have a patina when it shows signs of age. In the same way that a piece of leather goods will show small scratches or marks from rubbing, a piece of jewelry that has been worn will show signs of time, and is said to have developed a patina..
In simple terms, patina is normal wear and tear from use.
What does the patina of silver jewelry actually look like?
Over time, the more you wear your jewelry, the more the thin layer of rhodium applied to the silver will fade. Beyond the scratches, your metal will then be less bright, less luminous and will have a more matt appearance.
An important note: It is particularly common for a ring, to develop a patina: it is a piece of jewelry that is much more subject to rubbing, movement and possible shocks. For a pendant or earrings, jewels that are less exposed, this patina will be weaker.
How long does it take for silver jewelry to develop a patina?
It is very difficult to say, it depends on each person, but overall you should know that the more your jewelry is worn, handled, rubbed, the faster this patina will occur.
In order to delay this phenomenon and keep your metal in its original state as long as possible, we recommend two important reflexes:
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Avoid water as much as possible!
Silver is a metal that oxidises in contact with moisture and turns black. To avoid this reaction, you should avoid immersing it in water too often. If this happens, remember to dry it quickly!
If your silver jewelry turns black, his does not mean that your jewelry is of poor quality: it is simply a chemical property of silver and a normal reaction to moisture. We will come back to this point a little later to guide you in this situation.
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Remember to clean it regularly.
Whatever the metal, we advise you to clean it regularly. This is particularly important for silver as it is the precious metal between gold and platinum that will age the least over time.
You may have noticed thatthere are a large number of products on the market specifically for cleaning silver, whether for silverware or jewelry: this is not by chance!
However, the use of these products is not especially necessary or recommended. If you want to use them, be very careful, they can be dangerous for your stones.
Find all our advices to maintain your jewel safely.
What to do about the patina?
As with all metals, it is possible, in most cases, to remove all traces of wear and tear on your metal. All you need to do is to perform what is called a rhodium polish.
This consists of completely polishing the surface of the metal so that it is smooth, without any any scratches or impurities, and then applying a new thin layer of rhodium. Your jewelry will then be restored to its original shine! This is a service we offer for all Gemmyo jewelry. If you would like to have it done, please contact our customer service department, who will send you a quote for these operations.
b. The price of silver
Silver has the great advantage of being inexpensive. You may have already noticed that the price of a piece of jewelry can change dramatically if you choose silver instead of a much rarer metal like platinum:
- a St-Germain 2 mm silver ring - 165 € - a St-Germain 2 mm ring in platinum - 680 €
Does this price difference mean that silver is a bad quality? No, don’t worry!
Silver is simply much more common and much less rare than platinum; physical rarity is a big part of the metals' price.
—— 2. What are the different grades of silver?
Like most precious metals, there are several grades of silver. ou can find 800, 830, 895, 900 or even 925/1000 silver!
925/1000 silver is the one and only quality of silver that we offer at Gemmyo, as do most of the major Maisons, because it is the best composition for a silver jewel to resist time.
You are probably wondering what 925/1000: it's a good question!
The thousandths or ‰ simply correspond to the amount of pure metal present in the alloy and then define the quality of a metal: in jewelry jargon, this is called titration. So when we speak of 925/1000 silver or 925‰ it means that it is 92.5% pure silver.
An alloy you say?
The alloy is the metal as a whole, to put it very simply: it is the finished metal. In the case of 925 silver, the alloy is therefore composed of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, mainly copper.
Also known as sterling silver or solid silver 925 silver is one of the most widely used grades, and is recognisable above all by its hallmark!
The hallmark of title or guarantee is an official mark affixed by the State, the French customs, on a precious metal to mark its authenticity.
Each quality of precious metal has a unique hallmark: for silver 925, it is a head of Minerva!
A head of Minerva?
In Roman mythology, Minerva (called Athena in Greek mythology) is the goddess of wisdom, the arts and the patron saint of craftsmen!
Where can I find this hallmark on a piece of jewelry?
In France, all silver jewelry weighing more than 30 grams must be hallmarked. There are several methods for affixing a hallmark to a piece of jewelry. At Gemmyo, they are all hallmarked in the traditional way with a small chisel and a hammer. You will often find your hallmark opposite your stone(s) and on the outside of the setting!
For fine silver jewelry weighing less than 30 grams, the law does not require a hallmark, as affixing one would risk twisting the jewelry.
Finally, contrary to what one might think, the hallmark is not a defect, but rather a guarantee of the quality of the jewelry. It is in a way the label of the jewel.
Now that we have reviewed some of the basics together, we can go into a little more detail to determine if silver is the right choice for your jewelry !
To do this, we will talk in more detail about the main characteristics of this metal, then we will discuss some tips and finally we will see its advantages and disadvantages.
The main characteristics of silver
It must be said that silver is not the most suitable metal for a ring that has to stand the test of time temps. Durability is a big factor to take into consideration when choosing a ring that is worn on a daily basis, and for life.
One of the main reasons for this, beyond the patina caused by rhodium plating, is that silver is a more malleable metal than gold or platinum, the two other major families of metals most used in jewelry.
What does malleable mean?
To say that one metal is more malleable than another does not mean that it is of a lower quality, it is simply a fact that about the physical characteristics of a material.
In the same way that a diamond is harder and therefore more resistant than an aquamarine, for example, a more malleable plus metal is softer, and therefore naturally less resistant to scratches and may also bend more easily.
Therefore, we do not recommend silver for your wedding or engagement ring as this is jewelry that you will hardly ever remove! In these situations, gold or platinum, are more suitable for everyday wear.
—— 1. Which silver jewelry to choose and which stone to combine with it?
As we have already mentioned, 925 silver is the best quality silver used in jewelry. It is a neutral, white, light and inexpensive metal! So it has many qualities!
For a ring worn occasionally or for a pendant for example, it is a metal that is perfectly adapted. It is also a very interesting alternative to white gold or platinum, two much more expensive metals.
Whether it is for light or darker skin tones, silver is a white and neutral metal, so it is impossible to make a mistake ! All combinations are possible!
Generally speaking, a white metal will help a coloured stone tand out and will even help its brilliance... on a solitaire for example.
To help you choose the ideal combination, here are the stones we usually recommend with silver, the stones most often associated by our customers with this metal and also some combinations to avoid:
Most popular stones to pair with silver
Least popular with silver
Diamond—— 2. Is it possible to combine silver with a gemstone such as a diamond?
It is possible to do this! But...
Silver is more malleable and oxidises, so it is inherently less durable than gold or platinum. This is why we recommend these two metals for high value jewelry... for example jewelry with a beautiful diamond!
Let's take an example to illustrate this point:
If you are looking for a gemstone for your engagement ring, we invite you to discover our guide on this subject and if you are particularly attracted to a diamond or a sapphire for a centre stone, it would not be ideal to partner either of these stones with silver. This is because the claws that hold the stone in a solitaire are often very thin, so silver is not recommended in this scenario.
Again, this is not a question of quality or price, your stone will simply be less protected in the event of a clash or a small shock car, because silver is a softer metal than gold or platinum. The claw could therefore bend and let your stone slip out.
If you want to keep a piece of jewelry for as long as possible,, pass it on, wear it every day without ever taking it off, you should choose the most suitable materials and therefore the most resistant over time, such as gold or platinum.
What should we remember about silver ?
—— Its advantages:
It goes with all stone colours..
It appeals to both men and women.
—— Disadvantages:
It tends to oxidise and blacken over time.
It is a metal that will be more prone to scratching than gold or platinum.
It tends to bend easily.
To conclude
925 silver is the best quality silver you will find in jewelry.
It is a neutral, light, strong and very high quality precious metal that we particularly recommend for occasional rings, pendants or earrings.
Due to its properties, silver is less suitable for rings that are worn permanently. It is a metal that will require special attention and maintenance to last over time.
For your wedding or engagement ring, you may not want to worry about your jewelry all the time. Choose peace of mind with metals that are more suitable for this type of ring: white gold or le platinum !