Published on : 23 April 20202 min reading time
Just like gold, silver is also widely used for making jewellery. In recent years, wearing silver jewellery has become more trendy and fashionable than wearing gold jewellery. However, be aware that there are different types of silver on the market. To help you make the right choice, we list below the most commonly used types of silver around the world.
Solid silver: the most chosen of the moment
Among the different types of silver that are most popular, one should always start with solid silver. It is one of the most expensive. It is a precious metal that is at least 80% pure silver. That said, jewellery made of sterling silver has a fairly long life span and high resistance. With proper care and maintenance, silver will certainly keep its brilliance for a long time, and this, without it disappearing due to frequent rubbing. It has been noticed that with time, solid silver only takes on a more patina colour, but it is always possible to clean it with the right tricks.
Plated silver: the cheapest on the market
If you have a small budget, you may also want to buy a silver-plated fancy. Each silver-plated jewel is made of a poor metal that is covered with a small layer of pure silver. This layer can often be several microns thick. The amount of silver added is measured at 20%. The combination of these two metals can form any shape of jewelry. The concern with silver-plated jewellery is that over time, as well as direct contact with nature, the layer of pure silver may disappear and the metal inside may appear.
German silver also known as Alpaca
Alpaca is also one of the most famous types of silver. This silver is actually the alloy of imitation metals. In most cases, it is composed of zinc, nickel and copper. You should know that this alloy has been around for thousands of years and is still used in industry today. Most often, it is in the production of electrical contacts that you might see it. Note that this type of silver is lighter and differs from the others by the fact that it oxidizes easily. However, it is still a very popular metal for making jewellery.