Information to amaze and inform

Silver & Platinum

Slightly harder than gold in its pure form, and in most countries is sold in a more pure condition than gold, normally 925 parts in 1000 of silver jewellery is silver, although in some countries 800 parts is normal. Because the resultant alloy is more pure than gold - and it is the alloying which gives both gold and silver additional strength, items made from silver are softer than those made from gold.

For the craftsman it is somewhat harder to work than gold, but not being so expensive it is more practical to produce large beautiful items. When new the metal will take a brilliant polish, which with normal wear slowly ages to a rich sheen. Compared to chrome plate and steel, silver looks slightly yellow.

Unfortunately silver reacts with sulphur in the air, so it slowly turns black. The best way to stop silver from tarnishing is to use it! Every time it is worn, the tarnish is rubbed off. Also checkout our advice on caring for jewellery. Note that 800 silver can now be legally sold in the UK as silver. It looks almost identical to Sterling silver. I have no experience of this quality, but suspect that it may be more prone to tarnishing.

For further information on silver standards consult the page on hallmarking.

Silver jewellery is often a great buy, and may be better value than costume jewellery, looking better when new and having a longer life.

Gold on Silver:
Sometimes silver is electro-plated with gold. This gives the appearance of gold with the economy of silver. Like any gold-plated item the plating will eventually wear away, so make sure anything you buy has a good thick layer of gold, else you'll soon own a simple silver piece! Personally I have to say I don't like gold on silver. The problem is that if any repair is needed, or a ring needs resizing, the plating will always be damaged, and the cost of having the item re-plated can be considerable. So I think you're better off sticking with simple unplated silver - after all it's a lovely metal in its own right.

Other uses for silver:
Most of the world's silver is used in photography... again and again, because it keeps getting recycled. There is no silver in a colour photo, just dye, so after development all the silver can be recovered and used again. Incidentally you may have learnt that it's safe to view the sun (during partial eclipses) by looking through dark negatives. Actually it's the silver which absorbs the harmful radiation. Therefore this only works with black and white negatives, and you must be sure these do contain silver. Most modern processing even of black and white negatives uses dyes rather than the silver to produce the black, such negatives are dangerous to use as filters and will lead to eye damage.

Silver is also used in industrial electric switchgear. Another use is the silver oxide in watch batteries.

Comparing Gold & Silver:
Silver is more economical than gold.
Craftsmen often produce more exciting designs in silver
Gold will wear better than silver
Gold tarnishes less than silver
White gold and silver are almost exactly the same colour.

Platinum

Unlike the other metals used in jewellery, this metal is very hard in its natural state. When manufactured into jewellery it is also the most pure of the metals, normally 950 parts in 1000 are platinum, although other standards are now legal. Until the 1975 platinum was not hallmarked, therefore the exact purity of the metal used cannot be known for certain. Do note that since January 1999 lower standards for platinum now exist in the UK. These along with the established standard can legally be sold as platinum (as far as I can tell). The buyer should establish by checking the hallmark the quality of any new platinum purchased, and if unsure, should only buy from reputable shops. For full details of the new standards, read the page on hallmarking.

Like gold it will not tarnish in normal use. When new its colour is similar to silver, but it slowly wears to a dull grey. You can't polish it at home, so eventually the best thing is to take it to a jeweller, who can restore its appearance. It's difficult to work, and very difficult to solder, melting at a much higher temperature than the other metals described here, and the solder melts at a temperature too close for comfort to the rest of the item.

So you won't see many items made from platinum, and if you do, they're sure to be expensive. It's main use in jewellery, is as a secure mount for precious stones, especially diamonds. Being harder than gold, it will hold valuable stones more safely than gold, while its colour enhances their appearance, finally it will retain its patterning longer.

Other uses for platinum:
It's used a lot in laboratories, because it doesn't react with most other chemicals. And you'll find it in the catalytic converters under new cars.

Gemstone & Jewellery Glossary

Disclaimer
Opinions and interpretation of law expressed here are my own. If you stand to lose as a result of any decision based on information here you should seek appropriate legal advice. I give this information freely, and cannot accept any responsibilities for losses you may incur. Nor can I accept responsibility in the unlikely event of inaccurate or misleading information. You alone are responsible for your actions.
Also while much of the information is relevant throughout the EU, I have written with particular regard for accepted practices in the UK.