Argentium Silver

Argentium silver is great for catching the light.
~bracelet, stargate sterling argentium silver by argentium1~

I've always loved silver. If not silver, than white gold. There's something about yellow gold that I find tacky. I'm only speaking for me and my skin tone. Yellow gold looks great on many people and sometimes I wear it too. But I don't think that yellow is a colour for everyone. Silver is so neutral. It is sleek and goes with everything. Unfortunately, it tarnishes. This is something that people love to point out to me when I say that I prefer silver. Really? Tarnishes? You don't say. My own engagement ring is in white gold, although some individuals in my life don't consider this to be "real" gold (??). But I would have been quite content with silver. Particularly Argentium silver.

Before we get into Argentium, you should know a few details about silver. Most mainstream silver is sterling silver and is recognized by the 925 stamp. This stamp indicates that the silver is 92.5 percent silver. The remaining 7.5 percent is made up of different alloys that include copper. The alloys make the silver harder and more durable than pure silver. However, the copper tarnishes when it comes in contact with sulfur and sulfur is everywhere -- deodorant, perfume and excreted through your skin. Some people have more sulfur on their skin than others, depending on their body chemistry, the food they eat and how much they sweat. This is why they may find jewellery tarnishes faster for them. 

The other kind of silver that you may find is fine silver. Fine silver is 99.9 percent sliver, is shinier and looks ... finer. But it is much softer than sterling silver and can't really be used in many jewellery making techniques.These two types of silver each have major flaws. 

Enter Argentium silver. Argentium silver is the modern take on sterling. It is 92.5 percent silver, so it is technically sterling silver, but the alloy mix includes germanium. The germanium creates a film of germanium oxide over the copper, protecting it from the sulfur and preventing oxidation. Argentium silver will tarnish over time, but this is removed with a gentle buffing that you can do at home. In addition to its high tarnish resistance, Argentium silver is more malleable than traditional sterling silver, making it more desirable for artisans. Some retailers now sell Argentium silver with even higher levels of silver, like 93 or 96 percent, which takes them out of the sterling silver category and heading towards fine silver. These higher levels of Argentium silver are advertised as whiter and brighter than white gold or platinum. 

Argentium becomes more tarnish resistant when it is heated. 

~ Argentium Silver Hand-Forged Anticlastic Earrings by jkhaimandesigns~