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| pure silver jewellery |
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| message from m4816k on 27 Mar 2003 |
I heard that all problems that are usual with silver (like tarnishing) can
be resolved by using pure silver, but that pure silver is very soft and it's
not good for jewellery. But then I heard, that softness of silver is not a
problem if a piece is substantial enough (a big, heavy chain). Is it true?
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| abastanza replied to m4816k on 27 Mar 2003 |
Yes.
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| Ned Flanders replied to m4816k on 29 Mar 2003 |
The alloy companies would like everyone to think that pure gold and
pure silver are not suitable for jewelry. Not true.
Cheers,
Ned
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| Marisa Cappetta replied to Ned Flanders on 22 Apr 2003 |
I use pure silver in some of my cast necklace componants because the pieces
are dressy. Since they are not worn often, they are not as susceptable to
damage as rings or bracelets and the fine silver tarnishes less and more
slowly. I also like the colour. To slow tarnishing, I wrap them in acid free
tissue and seal them in a zip-lock baggie. Seems to help.
Marisa
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| boomkap replied to Marisa Cappetta on 09 Jan 2005 |
I have been wearing a silver necklace for over 15 years now. It has
never tarnished till i started using the new Head & Shoulders intensive
care shampoo (Blue bottle). After using it 2 or 3 times, my silver
jewelery turned bronze! At first i did not make the connection, however
after lots of research, i found that sulphides cause silver to tarnish.
On reading the H&S shampoo's ingredients i found that the active
ingredient was selenium sulphide...... bingo!
So please be advised, before using hair care products, either remove
all silver jewelery or avoid products with sulphides.
Marisa Cappetta wrote:
susceptable to
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| Peter W. Rowe replied to m4816k on 29 Mar 2003 |
Tarnishing will be reduced with pure silver, but not entirely eliminated. The
tarnish on silver is due to the formation of both copper and silver sulphides,
often under the influence of air pollution, or other sources of sulphur
compounds to contribute the sulphur. Sterling silver, being usually 7.5 percent
copper, tarnishes more quickly, and usually to a darker color, since the copper
content is much more reactive than the silver. But the silver nevertheless does
also form silver sulphides (The basic chemistry of the black, in black and white
photographic paper, for example, is due to silver compounds very similar to
silver sulphide). It just tends to do it more slowly, and usually it's more of
a discoloration than a really black color, unless the pollution or sulphur
levels are especially high, or there's some other influence speeding up the
process. The tarnish formed in pure silver tends to be easier to clean off,
partly due to it's not being as dark or thick a layer, but also that the silver
sulphide is more easily reduced back to silver, if one is using chemical tarnish
removal agents.
As to durability, it depends a LOT on what type of jewelery is being discussed,
as well as how it's made. An item made by die striking or fabricated from
rolled sheet or drawn wire will be more durable than one which is cast. A die
struck fine (pure) silver item might be even harder, if not annealed, than a
plain cast sterling silver one. But if we're comparing two otherwise identical
items, one in sterling, one in fine silver, the sterling one will be
considerably harder and more rigid. Whether this makes a big difference depends
on whether the items needs that hardness and springiness. A heavy plain wedding
band doesn't. Prongs on a stone setting probably do. Very thin chains
(herringbones, for example), will last a LOT longer in sterling than in fine
silver, (but even then, herringbone styles aren't known for durability...) But
a heavier cable chain with nice heavy oval links might be just s good in fine
silver. At most, the links might get stretched a little more easily, but unless
it's extreme, it won't matter much.
It's likely that a fine silver piece of jewelery will tend to get dented and
scratched a bit more deeply than one in sterling, but i'd guess the rate of wear
would probably be about the same.
Hope that helps.
Peter Rowe
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