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Gold or Silver Jewellery - Which is Best?

russian wedding ringPrecious and fine jewellery is most often made in gold and silver. Different metals are chosen for different reasons but you can find out which best suits your needs by considering a few questions.  
 
Colour   
Just as different coloured clothing will suit different people, some people suit jewellery made from yellow or rose gold, and some people suit white gold or silver coloured jewellery.  These days many people wear both depending on the occasion or the outfit, and the combination of two-tone or three-tone jewellery (mixing pink, silver/white and yellow) creates a range of new possibilities.   
While white gold and silver are similar in colour, there are other major differences between silver and gold.

Gold and Silver Price & Value

Sterling silver is much more affordable than gold so jewellers can exercise creativity and afford to make large, artistic pieces in silver.  Solid gold jewellery creations tend to be smaller and more traditional... although not always! Both sterling silver and gold can be worn as every day jewellery however the value of gold means care must be taken to ensure jewellery is not lost or broken.  While silver is of a lesser value is is also harder wearing than gold, depending on the quality of the piece. While it is impossible to prevent any precious metal from picking up little scratches or bumps, all precious metal can be cleaned and polished to restore a beautiful shine.
 

antique teardropMetal Care

Sterling silver can tarnish if it is unworn and left exposed to air or moisture.  Tarnish can be prevented by keeping silver in airtight bags, or wrapped in a soft cloth and any tarnish can be easily cleaned off. Some commercially made silver pieces are also plated to prevent tarnishing and some sterling silver is 'oxidized' on purpose, IE it is treated to make it look as though it is antique and has acquired a little tarnish in the nooks and crannies over a well-loved lifetime.  Gold doesn't usually oxidise from moisture or air, although it can become dull or grimy and a quick polish will make it look a million bucks again!

Sensitive Skin & Precious Metal

Some people can have allergies to different metals. Sterling silver is 92.5% actual silver and is comparatively hypoallergenic. People are less likely to have allergic reactions to gold than silver and while this can occasionally happen it is not typical.

gold and silver braceletsSo, is Gold or Silver Better?

The answer is... it depends.  It depends on the PURPOSE, the PERSON and the PURSE! These questions may help you find your answer:
  • Is price a factor?
  • Is it something you are going to worry about losing/breaking/being permanently borrowed?
  • Are you happy to clean it sometimes/more often?
  • Does the wearer usually only wear one precious metal?
Fortunately for many people, the answer is to have a little of both in the jewellery box to suit different OCCASIONS, OUTFITS or OUTINGS.  Gold and silver are both precious metals, and jewellery made from both can be restored, regifted, resized and if needed eventually recycled.  Sterling silver and 9ct or 18ct gold jewellery is not costume jewellery or landfill, it is as precious as the metal it is made from.

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