Silver Jewelry - Best Place to Buy?

[elizat]

However, isn't .925 the same from anywhere? There are industry standards required to stamp a piece with that. I don't quite get it- 18kt gold is going to be the same whether you buy it from Sears or Tiffany, but it is the quality of the piece that will be different, not the fact that it meets a certain requirement w/ alloys, etc.

.925 just means that it is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper.

QVC has some nice silver pieces as well, as well as Etsy and Novica.

 

[tiffanysilver]

Etsy has some beautifully well-crafted pieces with more progressive designs. I love Etsy. QVC is more likely to have pinched links/hollow pendants, not that most people will be able to tell unless they handle it for themselves.

Some companies flat-out lie about the alloy and stamp 925 onto everything from fine (999) silver, coin silver (900), to base metal alloys. Fine silver is not necessarily more desirable than sterling because it bends easily. Coin silver and lesser alloys are used to cut costs.

Even if another company makes genuine 925 silver, for some reason Tiffany & Co. sterling patinas differently, slower and changing from a light gold tone to grey to black if you let it.

Ideally 925 should be the same anywhere you go but not in practice. And as far as the gold alloy Sears vs. Tiffany & Co. - since both are reputable sellers both pieces will be 750 gold. It is the alloy the gold is mixed with that changes, especially white gold. Sears will likely use nickel and zinc while Tiffany & Co. uses silver and palladium for white gold. Tiffany & Co. uses silver and copper in their yellow 750 alloys, while other jewelers use more copper.

I rely on Tiffany as my jeweler but there is nothing wrong with QVC or Sears. Everyone has their own priorities - and really, it can be an aesthetic choice.