A jewelry lover's guide to sterling silver, silver plate, and other fine (and not so fine) metals

If you've ever bought a piece of silver jewelry and watched it peel, tarnish unevenly, or develop a strange greenish tinge, you've probably encountered silver plate. And if you've ever worn a piece of sterling silver that only gets more beautiful with age, you know the difference—even if you couldn't quite name it. As a maker, I think about these distinctions constantly. Here's what I've learned over time as I've worked with these materials.

What is sterling silver?

Sterling silver is a fine metal alloy made of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals (usually copper) for added strength. The "925" stamp you sometimes see on jewelry indicates sterling silver content. Unlike plated metals, sterling silver is the same material all the way through—there's no coating to wear away, no base metal to show through. It's a quality material from surface to core, and with proper care it will last a lifetime.

What is silver plated jewelry?

Silver plated jewelry has a thin layer of silver electroplated over a base metal — usually brass or copper, though cheaper pieces sometimes use zinc alloy or other lower quality materials. The plating can look beautiful when new, but over time it can wear away, peel, or tarnish unevenly, especially in areas of friction like the backs of earrings or the inside of a bracelet. The quality of silver plated jewelry varies enormously depending on the thickness of the plating and the quality of the base metal underneath.

Is silver plated jewelry bad?

Not at all—in fact, I use silver plate in some of my own Fox & Fable pieces. When a particular charm or finding is only available in silver plate, or when using sterling silver would make a piece prohibitively expensive without adding meaningful value, silver plate is a perfectly reasonable choice. My large lobster claw clasps on purse charms, for example, are always silver plate or brass—sterling silver clasps of that size would add significant cost for a hardware element that doesn't touch skin and isn't the focus of the piece. There's nothing objectively wrong with silver plate when it's used thoughtfully and with quality base metals.

What I do insist on, however, is using sterling silver ear wires on every pair of Fox & Fable earrings. The ear wire is the one element of an earring that interacts directly with your skin—and for that, I want only the finest material. I know so many people who have had a negative reaction to metals used in ear wires. Sterling silver is what I would want for myself and for anyone wearing my pieces. 

Sterling silver charms

Many Fox & Fable pieces are built around sterling silver charms—small, detailed elements that anchor the story of the piece. Sterling silver charms hold their detail beautifully over time, develop a lovely patina, and have a weight and substance that silver plate simply can't replicate. You'll find sterling silver charms in pieces like Lucky day (evil eye protection charms), Rooting down (OM charms), Pearl of wisdom (oyster and pearl charms), As the mystic moon rises (swallow charms), Flight of the swallow (swallow charms), and Fear of flying (airplane and sacred heart charms). Sterling silver findings—the structural elements like jump rings, head pins, and ear wires that hold a piece together, as well as decorative elements like Thai silver beads (which have an even higher silver content)—appear throughout my catalog as well, including in pieces like  Iceland waterfall hike, where quality metal elements allow the labradorite and apatite stones to take center stage.

What about rhodium plated sterling silver?

Rhodium plated sterling silver is a pricey, best-of-both-worlds option that I love for certain pieces. It starts with a sterling silver base — quality metal all the way through — and adds a thin layer of rhodium, one of the rarest and most expensive metals in the world. Rhodium is exceptionally hard and resistant to tarnish, creating a bright, lasting finish that standard sterling silver can't quite match on its own. You'll find diamond cut rhodium plated sterling silver rings in several Fox & Fable pieces, including The rhyme of leaves and insect wings and The marvel of water on Mars—where each ring allows the featured stone to hang in an outlined space, providing structure while letting the stone take center stage.

What about gold vermeil?

Gold vermeil (pronounced "ver-MAY") is another quality option I use in select Fox & Fable pieces. Like rhodium plated sterling silver, vermeil starts with a sterling silver base and adds a layer of gold—at least 10 karat and at least 2.5 microns thick, by US standards. It's a genuinely fine material, distinct from gold plated jewelry (which uses a base metal rather than sterling silver) and far more durable. I first encountered matte gold pieces when I was studying Byzantine history and art as part of a study abroad program in Greece and Turkey. The luminous, warm gold of Byzantine artifacts left a lasting impression on me, and vermeil captures something of that same quality. You'll find 18k matte gold vermeil in pieces like Becoming, where the warm, understated finish of the heart and north star charms pairs beautifully with the rhodium plated sterling silver rings.

How to care for sterling silver jewelry

Sterling silver can tarnish over time. This is a natural reaction between the silver and sulfur compounds in the air. You can prevent tarnishing by keeping your pieces in ziplock bags. I do this with my inventory, so any piece you order will be fresh and tarnish-free. However, when it comes to my own collection of earrings, I prefer to have them out and available to choose at a moment's notice. (I keep my every day earrings on a framed bit of chicken wire by my bathroom door, so they are visible and easy to grab on my way out). Because of this practice, I do sometimes encounter tarnish on my own pieces.

There are many ways to deal with tarnish, and your mileage may vary. Here's my preferred method for getting the shine back on my own silver earrings:

  1. Line a bowl with aluminum foil, shiny side up
  2. Place your sterling silver piece on the foil
  3. Sprinkle with baking soda and a pinch of salt
  4. Pour hot (not boiling) water over the piece
  5. Watch the tarnish transfer to the foil—it usually takes just a few minutes
  6. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a soft cloth

Important caution: This method works beautifully for plain sterling silver, but it can cause heartbreaking damage to pearls, enamel, opals, and other delicate or porous materials. If your piece includes any of these, use a soft polishing cloth instead or consult a jeweler.

How Fox & Fable approaches metal choices

Every decision I make comes down to one question: what serves this piece and the person who will wear it? I prefer sterling silver because it's a fine metal all the way through—no coating, no compromise. When I use silver plate, I do my best to choose quality base metals. And when rhodium or gold vermeil can add something meaningful—extra durability, a distinctive finish, a particular warmth or brightness—I reach for those too.

The pieces below give you a sense of how these choices play out in practice:

  • Fear of flying—sterling airplane and sacred heart silver charms
  • Lucky day—sterling silver evil eye charms
  • Bright fortune—sterling silver fortune cookie charms with diamond cut rhodium plated sterling silver rings
  • The rhyme of leaves and insect wings—diamond cut rhodium plated sterling silver rings
  • Becoming—18k matte gold vermeil heart and north star charms with diamond cut rhodium plated sterling silver

 

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