Argentium & Fine Silver: A Maker's Guide
In my studio I work primarily in Argentium sterling silver, with .999 fine silver for the bezels I fabricate myself, and occasional 925 sterling components where a specific design serves the wearer better. This page explains what each is, why I chose this combination, and the stamps you'll see on the back of every piece.
Argentium Sterling Silver
Argentium is a modern sterling silver alloy that replaces some of the copper with germanium. The result is a sterling silver with a brighter, whiter color and strong tarnish resistance — it stays bright with minimal care, doesn't develop the dark patina of standard sterling, and is hypoallergenic for most people who react to copper-content metals. When I want an oxidized or antiqued finish on a piece, I deliberately oxidize the Argentium itself — no need to switch to a different alloy for that look.
A note on "tarnish resistance" vs. "tarnish proof": no silver alloy is truly tarnish proof. Argentium resists tarnish dramatically better than standard sterling under normal conditions, but prolonged exposure to open air — particularly in humid environments — will eventually cause it to tarnish. Every order ships in a plastic bag with anti-tarnish paper; storing your piece in it between wears keeps it bright for years.
.999 Fine Silver
Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver — the purest form used in jewelry-making. It's softer than sterling, which is why it's not used for entire pieces (rings, bracelets, and chains would deform). But it's perfect for specific applications, particularly bezels. A fine silver bezel is soft enough to be burnished smoothly around an irregular stone or cabochon, holding the piece securely without scratching it. I use .999 fine silver for every bezel I fabricate myself — whether the piece is set with a fused glass cabochon, a gemstone, sea glass, or sea pottery.
Sterling Silver Components
For the silver I fabricate myself, I work almost exclusively in Argentium. The exception is select pre-made components — most often the sterling silver leverback ear wires I use on dangle earrings — where a specific commercial design offers something I value more than the alloy difference. The leverbacks, for instance, provide a secure closure that protects against losing an irreplaceable piece. Where I make that choice, it's because the design serves the wearer better, not because the silver itself is a compromise.
About the Stamps on the Back of Your Piece
Every piece I make carries two stamps on the back: 925 and CC.
The 925 mark certifies the silver content. US jewelry rules require that a silver fineness stamp can never overstate the actual content of a piece — it can match the actual fineness or be more conservative, but never higher. I stamp 925 on every piece because it's the universally recognized silver standard and it accurately represents the minimum silver content in any of my work. Your piece is at least 92.5% silver throughout, and in almost all of my work the actual content is considerably higher — Argentium settings at 94%, fine silver bezels at 99.9%.
The CC mark is my registered trademark. Under the National Stamping Act of 1906 (and its 1961 amendment), any maker who stamps a fineness mark like 925 on precious-metal jewelry is required by federal law to also stamp a registered trademark or full name alongside it. That second mark identifies who's responsible for the accuracy of the silver content. Together, the two stamps create a small but real chain of accountability — if a piece carries 925, you can trace it back to the maker who guaranteed it. Read more about my CC trademark →
A Critical Care Note: Chlorine and Saltwater
Before you wear any silver piece — from me or anyone else — there's one rule that matters above all others: never wear sterling or Argentium silver in a swimming pool, hot tub, or any chlorinated water. Chlorine reacts aggressively with the copper in silver alloys (and even with traces in fine silver), turning the metal black very quickly. This isn't tarnish that polishes away — it's chemical damage that often penetrates the metal and the bezels themselves.
The reason this matters even more with my work: if chlorine damages the silver bezel around a transparent fused glass cabochon or a gemstone, the damage shows through the glass and is visible from every angle. Repair means unsetting the stone (if possible), refinishing the silver, and resetting and re-polishing — significant work that I'm able to do, but at the customer's cost. In some cases the cabochon can't be safely removed and the damage is permanent.
Saltwater and hot springs are also harsh on silver and should be avoided.
The simple rule: take silver jewelry off before swimming, before hot tubs, before any chemical bath. Lotions, perfumes, and household cleaners are similarly hard on the finish, though less catastrophically. A few seconds of removing your jewelry protects a piece designed to last a lifetime.
Why This Matters
For a piece of jewelry to last decades, the metal matters. Choosing the right silver for the right application — fine silver where it holds a cabochon best, Argentium for the silver I fabricate, traditional sterling where specific commercial components serve the piece better — is part of how I build pieces meant to be kept, worn, and passed on.
If you have questions about the materials in any specific piece, contact me — I'm happy to talk through the construction in detail.