While stainless steel is commonly used for making numerous industrial and medical materials because of its undeniable strength and safety it is also a great material for creating beautiful fine jewelry. It is rust proof, holds up against decay and damage and is virtually impossible to scratch. So many people who cannot wear jewelry due to their allergies to different metals can wear surgical stainless steel because it is completely hypoallergenic.

Let’s compare Silver and Stainless Steel:

 

Stainless Steel Wedding Rings

Hardness
People with an active lifestyle often feel like they can’t wear nice jewelry because they will damage it but stainless steel jewelry is stronger than platinum and palladium and can be worn all the time.

Our stainless steel is extremely strong and is a 6 on the MOH scale. This grade of stainless steel generally used to make medical implants and for body piercings. It holds up wonderfully over time, it never rusts or scratches, it is very light, and does not corrode or decay over time.

Alloying
The stainless steel our rings are made of is a mixture of different metal alloys, such as chromium, molybdenum and up to 15% nickel. Stainless steel is hypoallergenic because the nickel in it, as opposed to the nickel in white gold, is intertwined very closely within the metal. People with allergies to metals like white gold will not have an adverse reaction to stainless steel.

Appearance
Our stainless steel jewelry looks elegant in the brushed muted matte gray finish or shiny silver finish that looks just like real 14 karat white gold or sterling silver. It is also plated with real rose gold or yellow gold from 18 karat to add an even more versatile look. Our stainless steel jewelry is so beautiful it is hard to tell it apart from real solid gold fine jewelry and it will last longer! With our stainless steel rings, you get the look and quality of high-end fine jewelry at a more affordable price.

Environmental Matters
Stainless steel is an abundant resource. Stainless steel is always available so it can easily be refined.

 

Silver Wedding Rings

Hardness
Pure silver is very soft. On the Mineral Hardness Scale (Diamonds being the hardest at 10, talc being the softest) silver is only 2.5. Fine silver is so soft that jewelers can mold it by hand. Precious metals in their pure and alloyed state tend to measure in the middle of the MOH scale.

Alloying
In order to make silver hard enough to be worn it is mixed with other metals; or alloyed; making it sterling silver. Sterling silver consists of .925% silver and copper used as an alloy. The addition of copper to fine silver raises its hardness to a 3 on the MOH scale. By mixing copper in with the fine silver it easier to oxidize and tarnish to add an antique, aged style.

Wear Over Time
While sterling silver has about the same hardness as 18K gold it does tarnish and get scratched and worn over time. Silver rings tend to last longer if they are made thicker. Gold plating or gold PVD coating can help strengthen sterling silver as well.

Mounting Gemstones
Since silver is so soft when mounting a gemstone in a silver engagement ring it will be secured better if a gold split or prong mount is used. The prong should be at least 14K white or yellow gold with a MOH hardness of 3.5 to 4.The harder the metal, the more secure the setting on the engagement ring will be. If a bezel set gem is being set silver will work.

Environmental Matters
Some sterling silver rings are made from 100% recycled silver, silver that was once used for something else, melted down, refined to its purest state, and alloyed again. There is virtually no difference between recycled silver and silver sourced right from a silver mine.