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What is Argentium® Silver?
We all love silver jewellery, but know and dislike the fact that it is a high maintenance metal that tarnishes easily, loses shine and its brilliance very quickly. Argentium® Silver is a silver alloy that was designed in the UK in 1980; and was discovered to outperform the traditional 925 sterling silver where it is:
7 times more tarnish resistant
4 times whiter and brighter
Stronger and more durable
Purer (93.5% pure silver vs 92.5% sterling silver)*
This is achieved by adding 1% Germanium to the silver alloy, which creates a tarnish resistant barrier when exposed to air; keeping your argentium silver jewelry and pieces lasting longer and brighter.
difference between argentium silver and 925 traditional sterling silver: How does argentium silver compared to sterling silver?
| 935 Argentium Silver | 925 Sterling Silver |
Tarnish Colour | Slight golden hue | Blackish and dull |
Tarnish resistance | 7 times more tarnish resistance | Tarnishes relatively quickly |
How does it tarnish | Reacts with Germanium to form Germanium Oxide | Reacts with metals in the Silver alloy such as copper and other metals |
Whiteness and Brightness | 4 times whiter and brighter, even brighter than White gold | Not as bright and white as Argentium |
Purity | 93.5% | 92.5% |
Durability | Stronger and more Durable | Softer and less durable than 935 Argentium |
Cost | More Valuable due to higher silver content | More accessible and widely used |
Tarnish
Argentium silver has superior tarnish resistance due to its fortified structure with added 1% Germanium. As such, Argentium silver produces a silver that is harder, stronger and much more durable than sterling silver.
In comparison to traditional sterling silver and other precious metals used in the industry, (such as platinum and white gold) Lab tests have confirmed that Argentium® exhibits a higher level of brightness and whiteness. This is due to the reaction that occurs with its added Germanium which creates a strong tarnish resistant coating over the silver. When Argentium Silver does tarnish after extended periods of time, it turns a slight golden colour which is a nice change to the usual black, greyed out and dull tarnish that 925 sterling silver becomes when tarnished.
Is all tarnish bad?
Not all tarnish is bad
When we think of tarnish we may think it is permanent, but the fact is that almost all tarnish is removable and you can take some very simple and easy steps to restore shine and lustre to your silver pieces. In fact, almost all jewelry will tarnish including 18 karat gold, white gold and gold vermeil – it is just a matter of time. Fret not, you can always remove tarnish by using a little silver polish, or some gentle jewelry cleaner. Some brands may market their products to specifically remove tarnish, so those are worth checking out. Alternatively, there are special jewelry cleansing cloths that make a huge difference! For example, our jewelry cleansing cloths contain special cleansing agents that remove tarnish. And the best part that is just so satisfying is that you can actually visibly see the tarnish getting removed! The cloth turns a black colour whenever it removed and comes into contact with tarnish.
Our jewelry cleansing cloths contain special cleansing agents that remove tarnish. And the best part that is just so satisfying is that you can actually visibly see the tarnish getting removed! The cloth turns a black colour whenever it removes and comes into contact with tarnish. Check out our product page to see it in action! Follow us on Instagram to see how we use our cloths and more jewelry care tips!
Click on the product page to see how our cloth removes tarnish!
Whiteness, Brightness and purity
Since Argentium® Silver contains higher silver content than 925 Traditional Silver, it is whiter, brighter and purer. In comparison to traditional sterling silver and other precious metals used in the industry, (such as platinum and white gold) Lab tests have confirmed that Argentium® exhibits a higher level of brightness and whiteness.
Hypoallergenic properties
Traditional Sterling silver has long been associated with discolouration and sensitivity where skin comes into contact with it, which in some cases, resulted in the wearer suffering an adverse or allergic reaction.
Argentium Silver is hypoallergenic and suitable for those who are unable to wear traditional Sterling silver jewellery.
Argentium Silver has antibacterial properties.
Argentium Silver alloys are nickel-free
Cost
Since Argentium® Silver contains a higher Silver content and with the added Germanium, this makes Argentium Silver more valuable than traditional sterling silver. Germanium is almost 100 times more costly than copper so this makes Argentium silver highly valued.
At Auralette, we take pride in creating crystal jewelry with quality materials and are constantly looking for better alternatives. We are glad that we work with Argentium® Silver materials in all our silver jewelry. To shop all Argentium Silver jewelry, Click here. All information is courtesy of Argentium® Resources: For more, view the official Argentium® Silver Fact File for in depth information of how Argentium® silver compares to other precious metals in the industry Visit the Argentium® Website for more resources and information For detailed tarnish resistance reports, please visit the official Argentium® Silver website https://www.argentiumsilver.com/independent-reports
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