Here at Roxue, one of the mediums we often work in is sterling silver. If you have been on earth for longer than half a minute, you will find it as a common metal selection for jewelry pieces of all shapes and sizes. Have you ever wondered why that is? For that matter, what even is sterling silver?
Sterling silver has been in use for quite some time. According to Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons: 1866, the first legal definition of sterling silver appeared in 1275. For the uninitiated, sterling silver is an alloy, or a mix, of silver and copper in a typical ratio of 92.5% : 7.5%, respectively. So, for example, if you had a 10-ounce sterling silver ingot, 9.25 ounces would be composed of silver, and 0.75 ounces would consist of copper, making up the total ingot weight of 10 ounces. Sterling silver is often compared to fine silver, which is 99.9% pure silver and is free (or practically free) from any other alloys. (Sidebar: If you have a 10-ounce ingot of silver you have no use for, we would love to take it off your hands! 🙂 Email us at admin@roxuestudio.com.)
On the surface, many people might wonder why a jeweler would prefer sterling silver, which is “adulterated” with copper, over pure silver. Surely more silver is better, right?
Well, not so fast.
Silver has some wonderful working properties, but pure silver, much like high carat gold, tends to be fairly soft in comparison to other materials. This means that jewelry made from fine silver is more prone to picking up scratches, dents, and general deforming. From a practical standpoint, fine silver may not always make sense for certain applications, such as delicate bracelets or rings, or for people who like to wear their jewelry daily. In short, fine silver suffers from some degree of durability issues.
The formulation for sterling silver overcomes some of the drawbacks that fine silver possesses. By adding a small amount of copper to pure silver, it increases durability without diminishing the qualities that make silver so attractive. While sterling silver will still scratch, dent, and deform like any other metal, it is tougher than fine silver and is better able to hold up to the demands of daily life. However, like any piece of jewelry, the wearer should still be mindful and do their best to not beat up on their silver jewelry too much if they want to ensure a lifetime of use.
That is not to say that sterling silver is without its own issues. One problem that sterling silver has due to the presence of copper, is it tends to oxidize, or “tarnish” quickly, especially in humid conditions. Oxidation occurs when a metal and a non-metal compound meet and react to form a new compound, typically a metal oxide, and usually affects only the outermost surface layer of the material. In the case of sterling silver, oxygen and sulfur are the biggest culprits to forming tarnish and are practically ubiquitous. Fine silver does not suffer from this problem, or at least not nearly to the degree that sterling silver does because it is the copper in the sterling alloy that is highly reactive and causes most of the oxidation. This means that unless a customer prefers the look of oxidation that sterling silver will do over time naturally, regular cleaning and polishing will be required to keep your sterling silver bright and shiny. However, if you keep your jewelry dry and check your pieces regularly, the buildup of oxides should be manageable.
The rate at which sterling silver tarnishes varies greatly depending on the environmental conditions, and even an individual’s personal body chemistry. Some people can wear silver and see little buildup after months of regular wear, whereas others might have the same piece tarnish within a day. If your silver piece tarnishes quickly, do not automatically assume it’s because it’s poor quality or a fake. It could just have been sitting in your bathroom for too long before your wore it!
If you want to minimize oxidation, we recommend that you avoid wearing silver jewelry in water and when sweating, such as playing sports or doing heavy work. Certain chemicals can also accelerate oxidation, so it would be best to take off your jewelry before entering a swimming pool, doing dishes, or applying lotions and cosmetics. Avoid storing your jewelry in a humid environment, such as a bathroom. This is not an exhaustive list, but rather some of the more common and easy steps owners can take to care for their jewelry.
There are tools you can purchase to remove oxide buildup on your jewelry, such as polishing pads and compounds, general jewelry cleaner, or even anti-tarnish bags and strips for long term storage. For additional reading on this topic, consider checking out the resources below that we referenced when putting this piece together.
We hope this primer about sterling silver is useful to you in your jewelry buying and care journey and that you come away with at least one little (silver) nugget of knowledge you didn’t have before. If you have any questions about sterling silver, or any of our offerings here at Roxue, feel free to reach out to us at admin@roxuestudio.com and we will be happy to help.
Until next time!
References/Resources:
- Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons: 1866. Vol. Second. House of Commons. 23 March 1866 pp. 14-15. OCLC <<11900114>>.
- “Removing Tarnish from Silver,” Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison (archived).
- “Guide to Tarnish.” Rio Grande.
- “Making it Shine.” Ohio Historical Society (archived).
- “Sterling Silver Care Guide.” SilverGuard.