Your complete guide to silver jewellery

For our mixed-metal lovers, our cool-toned babes or those who simply prefer the subtle lustre of silver; this is our guide for you on everything you need to know about silver jewellery.

Fine Silver

Fine silver, or 99.9% silver, is rarely used in silver jewellery as it is far too soft.

It’s just not as durable as some of the other kinds of silver, but particularly if you’re purchasing vintage or antique jewellery, you will find some pieces that are made in fine silver.

At Bowerbird Jewels, we only use Sterling Silver which has the durability that is needed for everyday wear and tear and doesn’t contain any nickel for those wearers who have nasty reactions.

Sterling Silver

With a purity of 92.5% fine, Sterling Silver is the most durable kind used in the making of jewellery. Have you ever noticed the 925 stamps on the inside of a good piece of silver? That’s the key to knowing it’s real Sterling Silver. The key to Sterling Silver’s durability is the remaining 7.5% of the alloy, which is usually made up of copper or nickel, or a combination of other metals.

Our Sterling Silver is solid the whole way through so if you like your silver bright and sparkly, this is the metal for you and can be can easily be polished with a silver cloth. Sterling silver is known for being hypo-allergenic, completely water resistant and non-reactive, so your pieces will last a lifetime, no matter what you throw at them.

Bowerbird Jewels are committed to providing only the highest quality Sterling Silver jewellery, meaning all our silver pieces can be worn in water, can be worn daily and any coating will not wear off, leaving you with green or blackened skin or irritated ears. 

Flash Silver Plating.

The most affordable option of the three, flash silver plated jewellery is great for more fashion-forward or lower priced pieces. Flash plating is a thin layer of silver over another metal such as brass or nickel. This jewellery is only placed in a plating bath so the base layer is covered and the new colour shows through. It is a cheaper process (which is reflected in the selling price of the item) and tends to wear off very quickly. Hands up for how many of us have had a piece of gold-plated jewellery go brassy after wearing it in the salt water, or all summer long? Yep, us too. Because we hate having that black or even green effect on our skin, we chose not to manufacture any of our products from plated silver. The quality just is not there for the kind of pieces we want to make.

So how do you choose what kind of silver jewellery is right for you? If you want to wear it daily or want it to last for a significant period of time (think more than 5 years) then choose quality Sterling Silver jewellery.

The jewels you choose should be a reflection of you – what you love right now, what resonates with you and what represents your lifestyle. So choose symbols, gemstones and even metals that best represent who you are, and where your energy goes. Shop the complete range of Bowerbird Jewels online now.