By Olivia Quiniquini and Maureen Ng
Sometimes, sterling silver may just not be enough. To stand out from the crowd, manufacturers have at their disposal enhanced silver alloys with properties and branding that could very well give jewellers a greater chance at cornering the high-end market.
Though differing in composition and precious metal content, these special “designer” alloys all boast higher tarnish resistance and greater shine than sterling. By eliminating or reducing certain processes, they also keep manufacturing costs down and do not require further plating.
Alloy manufacturers agree that the high price of gold has boosted the popularity of high-end silver alloys.
United Precious Metals Refining vice president for international sales Kamal Lalvani says: “With the rising price of gold, there is a big shift towards silver. At the same time, people want silver to be more premium and these special alloys add value to silver, allowing jewellers to target a premium segment of the market.”
This shift to silver has not gone unnoticed by Richard Leyens, CEO of Argentium International Ltd. Noting that the silver jewellery market is becoming quite crowded as manufacturers exit the gold scene in favour of the white metal, he cites specialist alloys – in his case, Argentium – as “a great way for brands and manufacturers to rise above the masses.”
Heraeus Ltd
• O-FAG, O-AAG
Content: Alloys with 92.7 percent to 95 percent silver
Features: Good de-oxidising power makes the resulting sterling silver more resistant to oxidation, causing less firescale problems and enabling better recyclability. Heraeus’ new H-633 alloy solves the problem of cracking, firescale and tarnishing in sterling silver production from machining and can be used for both casting and machining. The H-633’s hardness can also be further increased to over 100HV consistently through a simple heat treatment process.
Market: Heraeus’ alloys are sold in all key silver manufacturing markets such as Thailand and China. “We would like to explore more opportunities in India and Turkey where silver production is also substantial,” reveals Dr Po Hung Ko, Heraeus’ global manager (Masteralloy) of Functional Materials.
Product: O-FAG sterling silver has brilliant tarnish resistance while O-AAG sterling silver results in a smooth, silky finish after polishing.
W.R. Cobb Company
• Precise White Silver
Content: 92.8 percent silver
Features: Available in strip, wire and findings, Precise White Silver has reduced firescale from casting and a finer crystal structure than traditional sterling silver. The alloy is easier to investment cast and is suitable for stone set waxes, casting and stone setting. Precise White Silver’s strength also allows for thinner and lighter castings.
Market: W.R. Cobb director of findings sales Graham Kidson says: “This is a global product suitable for any sterling silver market.”
Product: Jewellery pieces do not require rhodium plating and bear a shiny, vivid colour after normal polishing.
ABI Precious Metals Inc
• 950 Elite Silver
Content: 95 percent silver, 1 percent palladium and 0.5 percent gold
Features: “As cast” hardness is 15 percent greater than traditional sterling silver. The alternative metal has casting properties similar to those of traditional sterling silver and can be used too for hand-fabricated products. The first Elite Silver blend was introduced in Spring 2010 and current blends have since been modified to improve hardness and castability. ABI president Gary Ford expects the patent for Elite Silver to be approved this Fall.
Market: ABI markets Elite Silver to manufacturers worldwide. Finished products are however sold primarily in the US as a white gold alternative or premium sterling line. Elite Silver costs approximately US$1.75 per gram, which is twice the cost of traditional sterling but only 6 percent the cost of 14-karat gold.
Product: Elite Silver’s tighter grain structure results in higher-lustre polished finish. Jewellery pieces also have greater durability and scratch resistance. ABI says the alloy is ideal for designer lines seeking an alternative to white gold in order to produce jewellery at affordable price points.
Argentium International Ltd
• Argentium
Content: Two grades – 93.5 percent silver, 96 percent silver
Features: Four firestain-resistant alloys are available for various manufacturing needs. The two Argentium Classic alloys (Argentium Original and Argentium 960-Pure) have mechanical properties suitable for mill product applications, while the Argentium Professional Casting alloys (Argentium 935 Pro and Argentium 960 Pro) have been developed for volume investment casting applications.
Market: The US is Argentium’s top geographic region in sales of finished products, CEO Richard Leyens discloses. In terms of manufacturing, it is used by jewellery-makers in Italy, Thailand, China and India. Kit Heath recently became the first established jewellery brand in the world to manufacture completely in Argentium silver, and Bell & Ross launched two new Argentium watches at Baselworld 2012. Raw material cost is eight to 10 percent higher than traditional sterling silver. “For branded and premium jewellery players, this modest additional cost is negligible, given that the eventual price of the item is not affected by what amounts to be a few pennies extra per gram,” explains Leyens.
Product: Argentium is said to be harder, stronger and more durable than traditional sterling silver, hence more resistant to scratches, dents and deformation. According to Leyens, Argentium is whiter than traditional sterling silver and brighter than platinum, white gold and traditional sterling silver. The company also provides branding support.
United Precious Metal Refining Inc
• Platinet
Content: 93.5 percent silver and 6.5 percent platinum
Features: Platinet is firescale-free and has high fluidity for stone in place casting. It is especially recommended for casting, wax setting and fabrication.
Market: “Platinet places higher than silver but is a lot cheaper than platinum or gold. It should create its own market as an alternative to gold and platinum,” explains United PMR vice president for international sales Kamal Lalvani.
Product: The platinum-based sterling silver weighs nearly as much as gold, giving jewellery pieces the feel of gold. Having more metal, it is not as bright as sterling silver and has the density of 10-karat gold. Lalvani says platinet is suitable for bridal lines and branded jewellery, at price levels of 10-karat gold.
• Karat Sterling
Content: 92.5 percent silver, with a touch of gold
Features: Like Platinet, Karat Sterling is firescale-free and has high fluidity for stone in place casting. Its all-purpose grain is suitable for casting and fabrication applications.
Market: United PMR is exploring the market for Karat Sterling, which was launched earlier this year. The company has identified bridal jewellery ranges as among its target market segments for the alloy.
Product: Jewellery in Karat Sterling is brilliantly white in colour and has a high-lustre finish.
• Silvadium
Content: Sterling silver with palladium
Features: Silvadium-1 is recommended for manufacturers making high quality sterling silver jewellery, while Silvadium-2, which has extra fluidity and flow characteristics, is suitable for very high quality jewellery manufacturing of thin or filigree-type designs.
Market: Silvadium is presented as an affordable alternative to white gold, platinum and palladium. Of United PMR products, it sits between Karat Sterling and Platinet.
Product: Similar to Platinet, Silvadium contains more metal and thus resembles white gold and palladium in appearance.
