All about silver

 

We explain what silver is, its value, and the properties it presents. Also, what characteristics have and the difference with other metals.

What is Sterling Silver?

Not all silver pieces have the same quality. There are countless alloys that may contain (mostly or not) silver. In jewelry, only 1st grade Silver is considered those whose purity is higher than 925. What does this mean? That 925 parts out of 1000 are silver, which is 92.5% purity.

Silver, except in its pure state, tends to oxidize over time. There are several tricks to polish silver and keep our jewelry looking good for longer.

Why do Vidal & Vidal silver pieces resist better oxidation ?

You'll notice that our silver pieces last a long time without oxidizing. This is because our finishes are done manually, and having our own factory has allowed us to research until finding the exact formula for preventing the pieces from oxidizing.

Like anything in life, the treatment is not eternal, but it at least maintains the silver pieces in their original color for much longer than usual. Also, as it is a manual process, achieving the perfect finish can be tedious since any change in atmospheric conditions (a more humid day than usual, a warmer morning) affects the components. This is where the experience of our team makes the difference.

We are very proud of this process, as it is the result of accumulated research and development over many years. We know that our finishes make a difference.

What is the difference between a piece of Silver, a Silver-plated piece, and a plated metal piece?

Silver Pieces

It indicates that the body of that piece of jewelry is made of silver. As mentioned earlier, not all silver is of the same quality. At Vidal & Vidal, we use 925' Silver or 1st Grade Silver. A piece of 1st Grade Silver must have an official laboratory hallmark certifying the quality of this alloy. All 1st Grade Silver pieces from Vidal & Vidal have the 925B2 hallmark. The 925 refers to the quality of the silver, and the B2 indicates an official laboratory; in our case, that of the Technological Institute of Jewelry from Menorca (ITEB).

Silver-Plated Pieces

It indicates that its body is 1st Grade Silver and then has been coated with another metal like gold, platinum, or rhodium. We must remember that the appearance of a piece only shows the last layer that has been applied. Thus, a piece may have an exterior appearance of gold while the material of its body is silver. In this case, the official hallmark of the laboratory should also appear. Learn more about finishes and platings.

Plated or Silver-Coated Metal Pieces

It indicates that its body is metal (such as bronze or brass) and then has been coated with silver. We must remember that the appearance of a piece only shows the last layer that has been applied. Thus, a piece may have an exterior appearance of silver, but the material of its body is metal. Generally, this finish allows for more corporeal or larger designs.

As a summary, remember that at first sight, you won't be able to distinguish the material of the piece's body; you'll only see the metal of the coating.

That's why whenever you have doubts, check the technical information we provide or ask us, and we'll be happy to help you.

 

Vidal & Vidal uses its own (necessary) and third-party cookies to personalize content, offer social network functions and analyze traffic.
More info in Cookies policy.

You can customize or reject cookies through this box.