Silver-plated jewelry consists of a thin layer of silver-coating on top of semi-precious metals such as copper, tin, or nickel. Apart from its low price, many people wonder how long does silver-plated jewelry last without tarnishing. Let’s find out!
How Long Does Silver-Plated Jewelry Last?
Silver-plated jewelry is not considered valuable because it tarnishes over a short period and the silver coating will wear off. However, plated sterling silver still has a royal look, and with reasonable care, it can last for about twenty years.
Overall, silver-plated jewelry has decent quality for the price you’ll pay for it. However, the silver-plated part chips away quickly, and 925 sterling silver may be your best bet.
Is Silver-Plated Jewelry Good?
Silver-plated jewelry is not as valuable as fine silver (99% pure silver), but depending on the thickness of the coat, it can be of good quality. However, over time, it will eventually dull and become slightly tarnished.
Like most electroplating methods, an ultrathin layer of silver is added to the base metal, measuring between 1 and 40 microns. Of course, a 40-micron piece would be significantly more and portrays a good quality piece.
How Do You Keep Silver-Plated Jewelry From Tarnishing?
Unlike sterling silver, silver-plated jewelry is more prone to tarnish and needs more care. There are several things you can do to take care of your silver-plated jewelry and prevent tarnish:
- Avoid exposing your silver jewelry to sulfur and other oxidants by keeping it in ziplock bags and airtight containers.
- Take off your jewelry when showering or while doing tasks that involve contact with liquids and chemicals.
- Choose the appropriate thickness of silver coating—the thinner the coating, the less it will last.
- Avoid excessively cleaning or polishing your plated silver jewelry. The abrasions can cause wear and tear faster than usual.
- Group plated jewelry with the same silver coating in the same ziplock bag.
Does Silver-Plated Jewelry Turn Green?
While silver-plated jewelry has a top coating of sterling silver, there is always the nasty chance of the jewelry leaving discoloration on your skin. While it depends on your body’s chemistry, silver-plated jewelry can turn your skin green.
When silver-plated jewelry tarnishes, it occurs as an acid reaction between silver and the base metals. If the base metal is copper, there is a higher chance that your skin will turn green. That’s because copper’s reaction with silver produces a greenish tarnish that sticks to your skin. So, the tarnish actually causes discoloration and not sterling silver itself.
Can You Wear Silver-Plated Jewelry in the Shower?
No. Since silver-plated jewelry has more than one metal, it can only react when added to a liquid or moisture.
Showering with your silver-plated jewelry is not a good idea as the soaps and chloride salts will react with the silver coating, affecting its appearance. So, it is better to remove all your silver-plated jewelry before stepping into the shower.
Is Silver Plated Jewelry Better Than Sterling Silver?
Pure sterling silver jewelry is a better choice than silver-plated jewelry in all comparisons. First off, sterling silver will last longer, and if it loses its shine, you just need to clean it up. Silver-plated jewelry wears off after some time, and the base metal will start to show.
Silver-plated jewelry is tricky to clean as the silver surface is just too thin to survive after a series of abrasive cleanings. Even if you use a soft cloth, exposure alone can cause the plated jewelry to tarnish.
Since there is about 92.5% of pure silver in sterling silver, it is more valuable than silver-plated jewelry. Sterling silver has a genuine stamp that shows the percentage of silver in the piece (92.5, S5, 925, etc.). However, it isn’t easy to know how much silver is contained in silver-plated jewelry.
Sterling silver and silver-plated jewelry comparison:
| Pros | Cons | |
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| Sterling Silver |
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| Silver-Plated Jewelry |
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Is Silver-Plated Jewelry Better Than Stainless Steel?
The answer to this question depends on your preferences. Stainless steel has a few advantages as it is hypoallergenic, meaning it does not cause skin irritation. Plus, it doesn’t tarnish and will remain in a good state for about a hundred years. Lastly, stainless steel is cheaper than silver-plated jewelry.
Perhaps the only advantage of silver-plated jewelry is its royal appeal and unique shine. It may have a better trade-in value once you buy the jewelry. While pure silver is softer than stainless steel, silver-plated jewelry is harder than stainless steel.
How to Take Care of Silver-Plated Jewelry?
If you want to clean silver-plated jewelry effectively, there are limited options. Since body oils cause tarnish, dust, and grime, I wouldn’t recommend the usual soap and water method.
Soap has chemicals and would likely increase corrosion in your tarnished silver-plated jewelry. Depending on the level of tarnish, a piece of jewelry cleaning cloth is all you need. Without adding water, give your jewelry a quick buff and it will regain its shine.
Remember, you just need a gentle wipe to remove grime, dust, and other contaminants. Too much pressure on the jewelry will remove the thin silver layer. Using soap, toothpaste, or other liquid cleaners only works for sterling silver and not silver-plated jewelry.
Final Words
Now that you know a thing or two about silver-plated jewelry, was the article helpful? If I have left out anything about silver-plated jewelry, please feel free to drop me a line in the comments section. All in all, silver-plated jewelry lasts a while when you take care of it. As long as you prevent it from tarnishing, it should last a couple of decades.
