What is Argentium Silver?

Germanium is the key to Argentium® Sterling Silver, invented by Peter Johns in 1990.

Because pure silver is too soft for jewelry use, traditional Sterling Silver has copper added to it. In fact, copper has been used to harden pure silver for 5000 years. This alloy "sterling silver" is composed of 92.5% silver with 7.5% copper. However, a silver alloy can be classed as sterling quality so long as it contains at least 92.5% silver. The remainder of the alloy can be made up of any other element or combination of elements. The downside of having to add base metals for hardness, is that sterling silver will both tarnish and firescale will be produced when the alloy is heated. Tarnish is the discolouration of metal surfaces, caused by exposure to, or contact with sulphur compounds in the atmosphere and sulphur-containing materials/substances, e.g.:
Air pollution
Rubber bands
Latex
Some foods (including eggs, mayonnaise, salad dressing, onions)
The silver and copper in sterling silver react with oxygen and sulphur to form tarnish compounds. Firescale is when sterling silver is heated in air for processes such as soldering and annealing, oxygen reacts with copper in the alloy to form a dark coloured copper oxide known as 'firescale'. At elevated temperatures, silver absorbs oxygen: this enables copper to oxidise below the surface of sterling silver, thus causing firescale to penetrate deep into the alloy. Both tarnish and firescale have been known downsides of sterling silver. In fact, to remove is both labour intensive and costly. Moreover it often requires the use of harsh chemicals, e.g. cyanide.

Peter Johns 's Argentium Sterling Silver has enabled the copper content to be replaced with other elements, without compromising the hardness and durability of finished products. Thus, creating a superior alloy to traditional sterling silver.

As the details can be a little confusing, please visit: http://www.argentiumsilver.info/ for additional information about argentium silver.