The moissanite gems are cut in a 0.5 carat size and work perfectly for pretty much everyone. It’s a very affordable pair of earrings, especially for something you’d wear every day. They’re set in sterling silver, and the post is made of 10k white gold, so it does not bend or break as easily. Take for example this pair of moissanite studs off Amazon. This means that a wedding ring made of sterling silver will be more expensive than a stainless steel one, so if budget is important than stainless steel is a better option. Stainless steel usually has industrial applications, and the one alloy version that is good for jewelry is also good for medical utensils like scalpels or tweezers. So sterling silver has the ‘advantage’ of being well known as a precious metal and as such it will always come at a higher price than stainless steel. Gold and silver are very old metals, and they are regarded as noble metals, because they can be safely used in chemistry. Sterling silver is a precious metal, comes at a higher price That being said, when sterling silver does tarnish it will reveal a warmer tone and lose a lot of its luster, appearing much duller than stainless steel. Meanwhile sterling silver has a nearly-white look to it, and can easily reach a mirror-like polish. Stainless steel looks dull, slightly darker than sterling silver and no amount of polish can get it as bright and brilliant as silver. If color is important to you when deciding jewelry, you know both stainless steel and silver will give you a silvery-grey look. Stainless steel has a dull grey finish, sterling silver has shiny, brilliant grey Stainless steel is meant to last forever and it’s not something that will show a lot of scratches. Some scratches do accumulate, but they are usually made by much harder materials such as titanium, or diamonds. It also does not scratch as easily as silver. As a result various scratches will accumulate in its surface, leading to a dull appearance.īy contract stainless steel does not tarnish or stain, hence the name. Silver is also a fairly soft metal, even when reinforced with copper or another harder metal. There’s a reason the phrase’ polishing the silver’ exists, because that’s exactly what you need to do to maintain silver. This layer can be easily scrubbed off with a thorough polishing, or a baking soda solution. Tarnishing is just the outer layer of the silver turning into silver sulfide due to contact with oxygen for a prolonged time. Sterling silver is notorious for tarnishing, and this is simply an unavoidable fact of owning silver jewelry. With daily wear and tear come different occasions for your jewelry to be exposed to the elements. Sterling silver may tarnish and scratch in time, stainless steel does not Key differences between sterling silver and stainless steel will be discussed below, and hopefully be enough for you to make an informed decision on what kind of metal to use for your jewelry. If you have a nickel allergy then this is not an option for you. Stainless steel for jewelry is usually surgical or marine steel (316L) and this does not contain any copper, but does contain a small amount of nickel. There are sterling silver versions without copper, and you may ask your jeweler what kind they have. Because of this, sterling silver may leave a green or black stain on your skin, as a result of the copper in its composition. Important note to those with nickel or copper allergies: sterling silver is made with 92.5 % pure silver and 7.5 % other metals, usually copper. Stainless steel is not easy to find for jewelry such as rings, earrings, or necklaces since there isn’t enough demand for this, but you can easily find most jewelry in sterling silver. Sterling silver is more difficult to clean and keep from turning dark, and as a result has a shorter lifespan than stainless steel before it has to be melted and recast into something new. Sterling silver is a precious metal and thus more expensive, and comes with the prestige of being a noble metal that is highly sought after for jewelry or decorative items. Stainless steel is more durable and lightweight than sterling silver, and it’s far more resistant to tarnishing or scratches. Can I wear sterling silver or stainless steel in the shower ?.Sterling silver may bend out of shape or break, stainless steel is more durable Stainless steel is far easier to clean and care for than sterling silver Sterling silver can be crafted into delicate pieces, stainless steel is bulky Stainless steel is not as common in jewelry as sterling silver