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Sterling Silver Pieces

suchende

Brilliant_Rock
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This has happened to me a few times: browsing Etsy/other jewelry sites, see a gorgeous gemstone piece, then look closer and realize it's set in silver. I just can't bring myself to spend $200-500 on sterling! Among other reasons, it's hard to get them sized or re-set locally if they're rings, and the pieces rarely come in my size (4.5).

Anyone else have this experience? Or does anyone want to defend the merits of silver? Maybe I am being unfairly snobby about it, but especially in the $200+ range, I just can't stomach the price tag.
 

ksinger

Ideal_Rock
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Well it IS a precious metal, and one the ancients revered. And the price of silver is about double what it was a year ago and currently hanging near record levels, so that factors in. And of course it took just as much labor and skill - maybe more when you factor in firescale issues, to work that silver into a beautiful piece that is still far far less than it would be if it were gold. And yes, there is the snob factor going on. People don't value silver as much because it is more plentiful and cheaper.

Now, for some reason, you're right - it's harder to find places to get silver sized. I'm not well-versed enough yet to speak to exactly why, and of course a lot of people don't like the tarnish issue, so that is fair. But as for the piece's worth? I'm not sure that the metal would be that big a factor with me. Silver has tradionally been the metal of the most innovative artists, because it is affordable enough (even now) to take learning and artistic risks with, that you could never afford to do with gold. And silver is SO much more versatile when it comes to surface treatments, the possibilites are endless.

I like Etsy, but really, you should browse a copy of Ornament magazine, or Art Jewelry, if you want to see some of the cutting edge avant garde stuff being done with silver. Some truly gorgeous and unique things, things that you'd likely be willing to spend the money on....
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I like silver and am considering it for setting my FCDs.

Something about the contrast of expensive with inexpensive appeals to me.
 

HopeDream

Ideal_Rock
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Hi Suchende,

I tend to avoid silver because of the tarnishing aspect, aside from that, I think it's a fine metal. The tarnishing is enough to prevent me from spending money on silver, dispite the fantastic variety of gorgeous silver peices out there.

I would buy a silver watch (daily wear would preclude tarnishing) or something else in solid silver that I would wear every day, but nothing that could sit and tarnish. The thought of the silver tarnishing behind/around a gemstone where I couldn't polish it would drive me crazy.
 

suchende

Brilliant_Rock
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HopeDream|1295747148|2830168 said:
Hi Suchende,

I tend to avoid silver because of the tarnishing aspect, aside from that, I think it's a fine metal. The tarnishing is enough to prevent me from spending money on silver, dispite the fantastic variety of gorgeous silver peices out there.

I would buy a silver watch (daily wear would preclude tarnishing) or something else in solid silver that I would wear every day, but nothing that could sit and tarnish. The thought of the silver tarnishing behind/around a gemstone where I couldn't polish it would drive me crazy.
Oh yes, tarnishing behind the stone. I have a really lovely handmade ring set with a gorgeous amethyst, from an award-winning designer. unfortunately it's too big, and has ugly tarnish behind the stone that I can't get to, and no local jeweler wanted to touch it.
 

suchende

Brilliant_Rock
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HopeDream|1295754475|2830253 said:
Suchende, this might work for the tarnish behind your amethyst, If the amethyst can take the high PH and hot water (can it?).

http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/homeexpts/tarnish.html

It won't make it shiny, but it will but the black back to silver
Interesting! The ring is in my parents' safe on the other side of the country, but when I go home I may try this! I would hate to damage the stone, but it's gone un-worn for years, maybe I shouldn't worry about it too much.
 

ksinger

Ideal_Rock
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For future reference and buying decisions, you might consider whether the artist is using Argentium, a new tarnish-resistant silver alloy that uses germanium instead of copper. (Sterling is 7.5% copper, the copper being added for strength, but also being the reason for firescale and tarnish. Fine silver is too soft for most applications.) Argentium IS a bit more expensive and an artist is likely to only work in one or the other, not both, since Argentium requires its own solder and has different working properties. I've not worked with it..yet...but maybe one day. We shall see.

Here's an article on this new silver alloy...

http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/argentium-silver.htm
 

MakingTheGrade

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I have many pieces that have elements of silver in them, that still cost 200+ for the setting. The reason being that most of the settings you find are hand made. And in my case, I would rather use silver over white gold if that means a high quality of workmanship.

If my budget is only 200$, I could buy a cheap cast setting from an ebay vendor in 14k with some accent diamonds.
Or I can go to Sally from H.O.W on etsy for a custom silver/mixed metal setting that I know will be impeccably made to suite my gem stone, one of a kind, and with superb attention to finish and detailing.

No doubt, the cast setting is a better value in terms of raw materials, but I would actually rather invest the extra money in time and artistry than in the precious metal personally.

And if I have to have gold, then I just save up until I can afford it with my etsy vendor of choice. Once you go custom and hand made, it's really hard to go back to assembly-line settings. At least, that's how it went for me!
 

packrat

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I've been struggling w/the decision to use silver or gold for a while, for my projects. The rings I had when I was younger were silver, just the cheapies you can get at Spencer gifts or Claire's in the mall, and I tend to associate silver w/those little cheapies that I just tossed on the dresser when I took them off. I'm trying to get past that b/c financially, it would be better for us if I chose silver. Tossing around the idea of argentium as well.
 

MakingTheGrade

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Hey packrat!

I often split the difference and do mixed metals. Depending on how tight my budget is, I'll do most of the piece in silver, and do gold accents where I think they will have the most visual impact. My tsavorite lotus ring and my iolani blue spinel ring are both mixed metal pieces, both very reasonable in price. And I think they look like a million!

Also, I personally love two toned pieces, but it's really expensive to do for cast pieces. But if it's a hand made etsy piece, it's relatively easy and cheap to mix metals, and I'm thrilled to take advantage of that and have it be easier on the wallet to boot!
 

AGBF

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I held my nose up at silver jewelry when I was younger, associating it with my younger days and hippies. When I joined Pricescope, however, some of the members gave me a crash course in Georg Jensen since my mother had bought Georg Jensen USA silver jewelry during World War II. The tarnish on the jewelry does not diminish its value. In fact, I was warned not to go too crazy with the silver polish when cleaning my mother's jewelry. Somewhere I have stashed away a lot of sterling silver items besides jewelry. I know I have a lipstick holder. I have a compact by another designer. Then, of course, there's the flatware!

Deb/AGBF
:read:

Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend
 

movie zombie

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there is a patina that comes with age and wearing silver jewelry. to clean it off destroys the personality of the piece and in many cases reduces the value of the piece.

i have silver rings....lots and most with huge jasper cabs. i wear them often. no tarnish! lovely patina! there is a very distinct difference. stored properly even those that i don't often wear do not tarnish.

MoZo
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
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When not tarnished I love how bright silver is.
After aluminum it reflects more light than any other metal.
It is the most electrically and thermally conductive metal.

I also like that it is much less expensive than gold or platinum, leaving more $$$ for the rocks.

I think its white brightness will make a wonderful foundation for FCDs.
 

Imdanny

Ideal_Rock
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It is a precious metal. The tarnish aspect of it is less than ideal. The metal itself is very beautiful imho.
 

packrat

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MTG, you're right, and that's what I think I'm going to end up doing w/my projects too! The few that I've gotten quotes on using silver/gold accents have been half the cost of the gold quotes.
 

shihtzulover

Brilliant_Rock
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I have several sterling silver jewelry items, but I have never paid more than $200 for one piece. Most of them are Tiffany necklaces - I really love to change my look from day to day, and having a cheaper option allows me to buy more. If I'm actually looking for a really nice piece though, then I go with white gold or platinum.
 

marymm

Ideal_Rock
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I do not mind paying the custom price for sterling ring settings but I will only do so if it will be rhodium-plated. If the vendor does not plate their sterling, I won't choose the sterling option. It took more than 10 years for my plated white gold wedding band to get to the point where replating would be required - and that is the only ring I wear daily - so I doubt I will have to worry about replating any of my other pieces which only get occasional wear.

I love Argentium and happily pay the custom price for anything crafted in that metal.

I also very much like the two-tone metal look, but as I prefer white metal generally the bulk of the metal is Argentium or plated sterling paired with 18kt yellow gold accents. It is cost-effective and the YG really gives an extra oomph.

While in the not-too-distant past I had perhaps a half-dozen rings crafted in white gold, in today's pricing world I am holding off on setting those stones which in my view require gold.
 

MichelleCarmen

Super_Ideal_Rock
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shihtzulover|1295795693|2830444 said:
I have several sterling silver jewelry items, but I have never paid more than $200 for one piece. Most of them are Tiffany necklaces - I really love to change my look from day to day, and having a cheaper option allows me to buy more. If I'm actually looking for a really nice piece though, then I go with white gold or platinum.

I also have some Tiffany silver pieces. None of them were $200 at the time, but it seems Tiff has raised their prices since my last purchase. The pendants I have tarnish really easily and even keeping them in the pouches doesn't seem to help.
 

AGBF

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I have this brooch (minus the locket) and I happened to see that the brooch and locket are for sale on eBay today. I knew that the brooch was by Georg jensen, but not that it was designed by Alphonse LaPaglia. (If I was told that-and I will have to check an older Pricescope thread to see if I was-I forgot it!)

It was this thread that got me interested in looking for Georg Jensen vintage jewelry on eBay today in the first place, of course!

Deb/AGBF
:read:

Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

AlphonseLaPagliaBroochandLocket.jpg
 

yennyfire

Ideal_Rock
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I may be mistaken, but when I met with Leon last summer, I happened to be wearing my grandmother's antique sapphire and rose cut diamond ring. My grandfather purchased it when he was in Italy during WW2 (supposedly, it was made by an Italian jeweler for his wife in the 1840s-1850s). The ring has both white and yellow metal and I *assumed* that it was both white and yellow gold or platinum and yellow gold. Leon asked to look at it and he said that it was most likely silver and gold, because white gold and platinum weren't around 150 years ago when this ring was made. That said, I love the look of silver and would definitely consider "tarnish" free silver for future projects....
 

jstarfireb

Ideal_Rock
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Often the same artists who charge $200+ for silver are charging $500+ for gold. One Etsy artisan was asking for $600 to set one of my stones in 18k gold, whereas it was $375 to set it in mixed metals (silver shank and gold bezel), so that's what I chose. I simply can't afford gold at today's prices, so I often choose either all silver or mixed metals. I don't really have a mental block to paying what seems like a lot for silver when it's made by a true artist and one of a kind.
 

ksinger

Ideal_Rock
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jstarfireb|1295846911|2831153 said:
Often the same artists who charge $200+ for silver are charging $500+ for gold. One Etsy artisan was asking for $600 to set one of my stones in 18k gold, whereas it was $375 to set it in mixed metals (silver shank and gold bezel), so that's what I chose. I simply can't afford gold at today's prices, so I often choose either all silver or mixed metals. I don't really have a mental block to paying what seems like a lot for silver when it's made by a true artist and one of a kind.


Yes to this. I'd rather have to pay for stellar design and artistry, than have to pay an enormous sum just to cover the cost of materials.

I adore gold, but silver has infinitely more potential than gold for interesting surface treatments, and is perfect foil to give gold more oomph.

Can you tell I'm a fan of silver? ;))
 

Pandora II

Ideal_Rock
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I'll pay for Georg Jensen as I love his work, and also for some of the other Scandinavian silversmiths but I wouldn't spend money on any old silver setting.

On the other hand, I do love antique English silver and have been collecting for many years. My dream is a canteen of Old English pattern flatware...
 

AGBF

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Pandora|1295919600|2832094 said:
I'll pay for Georg Jensen as I love his work, and also for some of the other Scandinavian silversmiths but I wouldn't spend money on any old silver setting.

On the other hand, I do love antique English silver and have been collecting for many years. My dream is a canteen of Old English pattern flatware...


I possess a ton of flatware, but I don't know what a canteen is. Is it like a parure? (Just kidding.) But I honestly am not familiar with the term.

Deb/AGBF
:read:

Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend
 

monarch64

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MC|1295809195|2830604 said:
shihtzulover|1295795693|2830444 said:
I have several sterling silver jewelry items, but I have never paid more than $200 for one piece. Most of them are Tiffany necklaces - I really love to change my look from day to day, and having a cheaper option allows me to buy more. If I'm actually looking for a really nice piece though, then I go with white gold or platinum.

I also have some Tiffany silver pieces. None of them were $200 at the time, but it seems Tiff has raised their prices since my last purchase. The pendants I have tarnish really easily and even keeping them in the pouches doesn't seem to help.

I keep SS pieces that I don't wear often in those tiny plastic zip-loc style bags. As long as air doesn't reach the pieces they don't tarnish, so you might try dipping your Tiffany pieces, putting them in plastic locking bags and then inside their pouches/boxes.
 
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