Tarnish-free. Wait what!

I’ve used sterling silver 925 for two decades and there’s nothing worse than your customers contacting you within a few weeks of receiving their piece to be told – “it’s tarnished already…I want a full refund”. I’m sure this is the same story for many sterling makers, right? You wish tarnish was not ‘a thing‘.

And, It’s super hard educating customers. Getting them to understand what tarnish really is and how to avoid it.

It’s not a fault, per se –
it’s maybe their fault!

(sorry uncalled for!) 😬 so uncalled for!

So, what if your jewelry life could be near enough… tarnish-free 😮

Well, have you heard of Argentium Silver?

It’s far purer than standard sterling silver (940 or 960 parts per 1000), has increased tarnish resistance, a whiter colour, antibacterial and hypoallergenic properties and a firestain-free surface. All of these benefits make Argentium Silver far better for the end wearer and gentler on the environment (yay!) – as fewer chemicals are used in production.

• It’s a modern sterling silver alloy
• Contains germanium instead of copper
• Works very simular to gold

Impressive right?

So, what actually makes Argentium different to Sterling Silver?

• Tarnish resistance – dramatically slower to oxidise
• Brighter finish – slightly whiter than traditional sterling
• Fire-scale resistant – soldering without crying
• Fuses beautifully – yes my friend!
• Hypoallergenic – no nickel drama – suitable for those who are unable to wear traditional sterling silver
• No harsh chemicals – often required for silver production (yay!)

Want to hear more?

Grades of Argentium Silver explained

Argentium silver comes in a few… flavours!

• 935 Argentium Silver – slightly softer, great for forming
• 960 Argentium Silver – harder, brighter, more premium feel

Think of them like paper (gsm) weights – both a nice weight, one just feels a bit more luxury in the hand.

But come on, is it really tarnish-free?

Argentium silver is designed to resist tarnish, meaning it keeps its shine for far longer than standard sterling – with very little upkeep.

Pros & cons – because nothing’s perfect right?

Who Argentium Silver is perfect for?

• Gift jewellery (especially sentimental pieces)
• Everyday wear jewelry
• Customers who hate ‘maintenance’
• Makers who are done with firescale nonsense

Being a gift jeweller, most of my pieces are made for special occasions, so customer expectations are very high. They want their piece to last and wear well. It was only a matter of time before I stumbled across and tried Argentium silver for myself. Once I did, it quickly earned its place on my bench.

So where can you buy Argentium Silver?

The good news? Argentium Silver isn’t hard to get hold of. It’s stocked by trusted suppliers globally – and if not locally, it’s easy to ship in from reputable global distributors…

related reads

How to make jewelry that lasts
Discover all the Metal types for jewelry making
Finding the Best Jewelry Suppliers in one place
Bite-sized jewelry tips