Affordable Alternatives To Silver Jewelry

When Silver Cannot Be Opted For

You might love the look of silver jewelry but might not prefer to buy it for several reasons. Silver prices are at an all time high; again, silver in its pure form is too soft and malleable. It will bend and be deformed in no time. Again, it tends to be tarnished over time. For more affordable options than silver with the same look and feel, you have choice between sterling silver and stainless steel jewelry. Both these alloys produce jewelry items that are silver in color, have a luster and shine and are durable items. They are used not only in making jewelry but everyday utensils and equipments as well.

What Is Sterling Silver

Sterling silver jewelry is formed of an alloy that consists of 92.5% silver and the rest of other metals like copper, nickel and others. Many sterling silver items have the marking “925” in order to denote the amount of silver content in them. This alloy is used in designing most silver jewelry items. It is durable and yet soft enough to be designed into intricate art work. This alloy is cheap and the resultant jewelry items are more affordable. However, a limitation of sterling silver is that it gets oxidized by the oxygen and water content in the atmosphere. Thus, it gets tarnished over time. One needs to care for such items by regularly polishing them with a soft cloth.

Stainless Steel And Its Uses

In case of stainless steel jewelry, this is an industrial grade alloy that has recently been introduced into the jewelry industry. As the modern design making techniques and equipments have advanced, jewelry designers have found ways to work on this alloy and bend it into different forms and designs. Stainless steel has many properties that make it ideal for jewelry design:

• It is durable

• Resistant to corrosion

Does not stain or react to any atmospheric element

Thus, this alloy is great for designing jewelry that will last for long but will be cheap to buy. It is often found in the unplated form and can be combined with other precious stones and metals to produce varied designs. The chromium oxide that is formed on the top of stainless steel adds a unique luster and shine to such jewelry. Men love the bulky styles in such jewelry as well the shine and luster in such accessories. It is being used increasingly in watches.

The Choices Of Modern Jewelry Designers

Thus, both these two alloys are common replacements for highly priced and pure silver jewelry. Most modern jewelry designers prefer working with such alloys as there is no problem with stains, scratches, corrosion or allergic reactions to such alloys. One will find a wide range of modern jewelry in such alloys. They are sold online at different department stores and jewelry brands. Order in such fashion jewelry and change them every day as per the outfit you are wearing.

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