Guide to Silver

Silver is commonly used for jewellery, with the most alluring characteristic being its beautiful shiny surface. It is durable and affordable, making it practical for everyday wear. However, the key disadvantage of silver is that it tarnishes over time.

Pure silver is relatively soft and malleable. To increase its hardness and durability, most jewellery is made from “sterling silver”, which is a mixture of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper.

The attractiveness of silver for jewellery is based on a number of characteristics.

Sheen

Silver has one of the most highly reflective surfaces compared to other metals, making it attractive for jewellery

Practical

Silver is slightly harder and more durable than gold, thus more practical for everyday pieces of jewellery

Affordable

Silver is widely available, and consequently very affordable compared to other precious metals.

Buyer’s Tip

Silver jewellery is practical for fashion pieces of jewellery as it is very affordable compared to platinum or gold. Look for sterling silver jewellery as it has greater strength and durability than pure silver. However, silver jewellery is not suitable for fine jewellery as it is less valuable than other precious metals and tarnishes over time, losing its beautiful sheen.