In this article we are not trying to tell you what type of ring you should buy for your wedding or engagement event. It is a personal choice, but we do wish to highlight the differences between these two types of precious metals, both used in modern jewellery making.
Considerations when choosing between white gold and silver
The main difference when buying a ring is not only established by the money you’re willing to pay for it, but also by the way your body might tolerate or react to these metals’ exposure. If your skin is sensitive, then skin irritation can be caused by silver which tarnishes in hot and humid weather. This situation might occur when your body gets in contact with nickel or copper. It is very important to know the alloy contained in the metal because you can be allergic to it.
Mainly, gold and silver are not reactive metals, but it is better to buy a higher karat gold metal, for example, to be sure that the quality of the alloy is higher as well: this is one of the reasons many people choose to buy 18 or 22K gold.
Sterling silver is 92.4/5% pure and most of silver rings don’t contain nickel, but lower percentage silver can irritate your skin (as an example, you should be aware of the vintage European silver that is only 80% silver and 20% is copper).
It is very important to know the alloy contained in the metal because you can be allergic to it.
How white gold compares to silver
Pure 24K gold it is, of course, expensive, but it is also hypoallergenic. Which is good news if the other metals mixed with it can’t cause (by themselves) some adverse skin irritations. These alloys have many different colors which are determined by the type of metal mixed with gold and its percentage.
For example, rose gold contains more copper, white gold – nickel (now the nickel has been replaced by metal that won’t cause any allergies such as palladium) and green gold is made out of fine silver.
A big benefit of white gold is that it is plated with rhodium, which is hypoallergenic. However, rhodium does wear off which means that it needs to be replated every 18 months or so.
In the United States of America, it is a rule that, in order to be sold gold it has to be at least 9K, if not – the lower karat will oxidize in hot weather because of the alloys contained in the ring (but a small amount of detergent will work its way out).
How silver compares to white gold
Silver metals are measured by 1/1000 parts per gram and come in many different quality grades and, the other metals that occur to be in silver are very insignificant.
But we must know that silver is only 9.99% pure, removing those impurities would cost a fortune. While wearing a silver ring it is very unlikely to get an allergy, yet not impossible. People come across these problems because they are allergic to copper, not the silver.
We hope this little introduction has helped with decision on the next jewellery item you have been considering.
Gold versus Silver over the Years
Only a few intrepid fashionistas dare to mix them, and at just about every stage in the modern history of fashion, one metal has been in, while the other has been out.
In the Ancient World
Even thousands of years ago, gold was worn as a decorative element. It was prized because it was rare, and it was worn by rich people in order to demonstrate just how rich they were. During the middle ages, it was only the very wealthy who could afford it, and everyone else had to make do with cheaper materials like pewter. And thus, it has remained ever since – though just about anyone can get their hands on something that at least looks like gold or silver nowadays.
What about the 20 the century?
The Art Nouveau movement of the 1910s prompted a widespread embracing of mill graining, which is a technique that involves setting a row of metal beads into a piece, typically to act as a border and to add definition. Platinum, at the time, was a metal of choice, as it had become incredibly scarce thanks to the war, but by the time the roaring 20s rolled around, white gold had emerged to act as a cheaper substitute.
Things evolved even further in the 1930s, with the introduction of plastic-adorned costume jewellery. Different colours of gold, like yellow and rose, came to the fore, but these were quickly dropped when the Second World War rolled around, as plain gold became highly prized.
By the time the 50s rolled around, designers had gotten bolder and more experimental. Platinum, gold, and even copper were all considered, and nothing was off-limits. The counterculture of the 1960s pushed things in an entirely different direction and meant that plastics, glasses and crystals started to enjoy more attention and that Asian and Middle-Eastern traditions began to exert greater
influence. Larger bracelets and anklets, of the sort you see here, came into prominence.
The pendulum swung back in the other direction over the course of the 70s, and by the 80s it was all about gold, gold and more gold. The metal was available in pure form, and also in plated. This remained the case until the 1990s when mainstream celebrities had started to look in a different direction, and embraced subtler, punkier aesthetic. This prompted a resurgence in silver anklets,
bracelets and choker necklaces, as well as Celtic-influenced items.
In the 21 st century, this back-and-forth war between gold and silver as ever largely continues. Who knows what trends the 2020s will bring?
