Here's an easy guide to answer every questions you have wanted to ask about Silver-Plated Jewellery.
What is Silver-Plating?
Silver plating is the process of layering a thin-plate of gold onto a base metal. This base metal can be Nickel, Brass, Copper, Stainless- steel and more. Based on the type of metal, there might also be a layer in between the base metal and silver in order to ensure that the silver-plating is perfectly done and lasts long.
Does Silver-plated jewellery have different levels or categories based on the type of silver?
Since, Silver by itself is too soft to be used for making jewellery, 92.5% of pure Silver is mixed with 7.5% of other metals such as Copper or Zinc. In order to create a hallmark, the certification of 925 is added. At Silvia Gnecchi, all our products are plated with the highest quality certified 925 Silver
Does the thickness of the plating matter?
Silver-plating ranges in thickness between 0.17 to 2.5 microns. The thickness is considered based on the kind of accessory that is gold-plated. For extremely lightweight earrings and bracelets a coating around 0.17 microns is applied.
Usually, silver plating of 0.5 to 1.0 microns is coated on commonly- used accessories while the heavier plating of 2 - 2.5 microns is used for bigger pieces that could be more prone to fading due to the weight of the piece.
Are there any other checks I should keep in mind when buying Silver-Plated Jewellery?
Some of the base metal and layering used may cause allergies and be quick to oxidation. It is important to ensure that the seller specifies that the jewellery is Nickel-free and Hypoallergenic, as Nickel is the base metal that mostly commonly causes allergic skin reactions. Here's a guide to understanding more about Hypoallergenic Jewellery
Will the shine on Silver-plated jewellery last?
In order to ensure that the silver-plated jewellery retains its shine for a longer period of usage, a safe polish coating can be applied. This satin finishing prevents the jewellery from corrosion.
Check out some of our Bestselling Silver-plated jewellery here