Sterling silver is hypoallergenic and 18-carat gold has only a small percentage of nickel. Genuine sterling silver receives the sterling label because it must contain at least 92.5% pure silver. However, the remaining 7.5% can be filled with other types of metal. Most of the time, the remaining percentage is copper.
Copper is great because it's also an anti-allergenic metal. Silver is a hypoallergenic precious metal, which means that it does not cause allergic reactions. On its own, silver is too soft a metal to be converted into jewelry. To use silver in jewelry making, we need to mix it with other metals and make it stronger.
This is how we get sterling silver. Metal allergies can take a variety of forms. Some people are only allergic to nickel, while others are allergic to copper, but others may be allergic to any non-pure metal. Metal allergies often manifest as itchy skin, rashes, and even blisters.
For less pure metals and fewer allergies, the causative metal may simply stain the skin in a green or dark gray color. Many people who suffer from metal allergies can stop their symptoms by switching to a purer metal, rather than an alloy. Let's take a look at these and other hypoallergenic jewelry component options. What exactly is hypoallergenic jewelry? Hypoallergenic jewelry means there is minimal risk of an allergic reaction.
Purer metals are a good way to avoid allergies because they do not contain the filler metals, mainly nickel, found in costume and plated jewelry. The purer the metal, the less likely it is that an allergic reaction will occur. Sterling silver, platinum, gold, and titanium are considered hypoallergenic and are great choices for jewelry. Pure metals, such as 24-carat gold, sterling silver, sterling silver, copper, titanium, and stainless steel are considered hypoallergenic metals.
This term can be quite confusing, as it can lead you to believe that this means that the central part of the jewelry is filled with silver. With this information in mind, let's also talk about the best way to care for your silver jewelry. Many gold jewelry finds can also be found plated or filled with gold, similar to silver finds. In some cases, jewelry that is only plated or filled with silver is passed off as genuine sterling silver jewelry.
Although copper is commonly used in sterling silver, other metals are used, such as germanium, nickel, platinum, silicon and zinc. For people with less severe metal allergies, this may be a good option for many years, until the silver wears off. Gold is an excellent choice for hypoallergenic jewelry, but, like silver, in its purest form it is too soft for use in jewelry. Another thing you might see from dubious manufacturers is silver jewelry that is actually only plated with silver.
Sterling silver is pure silver that has been mixed with other metals to make it stronger and more durable. Like gold and silver, titanium in its pure form is very soft, so it is often mixed with other metals to increase its strength and durability. Yes, sterling silver is hypoallergenic as long as it's not mixed with an allergenic metal such as nickel. However, this thick layer of silver doesn't guarantee that you won't have an allergic reaction.
