Thursday, February 24, 2011

Why I like Argentium Sterling Silver Wire

Most people use Sterling Silver Wire but, I prefer to use Argentium Sterling Silver Wire, it is Sterling Silver.  It is brighter than traditional Sterling Silver,  more tarnish resistant and more resistant to scratches and dents.  It is also more expensive than traditional Sterling Silver due to the process it goes through.  I love the brightness and shine of this wire too.  It is much easier to clean than traditional Sterling Silver.  I use dawn dishwashing liquid a soft bristle brush (toothbrush works well) and warm water.  Scrub it lightly with the brush then rinse in cold water and it comes out beautifully. 

Below is Wikipedia's definition of Argentium Sterling Silver: 

Argentium sterling silver

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Argentium sterling silver is a modern sterling silver alloy which modifies the traditional alloy (92.5% silver + 7.5% copper) by replacing some of the copper with the metalloid germanium. As it retains the 92.5% silver content of the traditional alloy, it is still referred to as sterling silver.
Argentium silver is the result of research by Peter Johns at the School of Art & Design, Middlesex University. The project began in 1990 with research on the effects of germanium additions to silver alloys. Germanium was discovered to impart the following properties to sterling silver:
  • Firescale elimination
  • High tarnish resistance
  • Precipitation hardening and simple heat-hardening properties
  • Increased ductility
  • Increased thermal and electrical resistance (making alloys suitable for welding and laser forming)
  • Environmental advantages (associated with not having to remove or plate over firescale)
Many of these properties significantly affect the traditional methods of working silver. For instance the absence of firescale eliminates tedious and time-consuming steps required by the silver worker using traditional sterling silver. It also eliminates the need for plating the final product which is often done on manufactured items because of the problems introduced by firescale. Tarnish resistance is of significant importance to both silver workers and the wearer of silver jewellery.
Argentium silver is patented and trademarked by Argentium Silver Company, UK.

If you would like to read more about Argentium Sterling Silver you can visit their website at: http://www.argentiumsterlingsilver.com/

Hope that has explained a little bit about what Argentium Sterling Silver is and why I like to use it.  If you'd like to leave any comments your are welcome to.

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