Does silver-plated jewelry tarnish, and how is it different from sterling?

ZKZ Editorial TeamMain answer · Product & gemmology desk

Yes, both can tarnish, but for different reasons and with different consequences. Plating is a thin layer that can wear away; solid sterling silver is silver throughout, so tarnish is a surface film that can be polished off.

What each one is

Fact Under 16 CFR 23.5, "sterling" or "sterling silver" should only describe a product that is at least 925/1,000 pure silver, and a product with only a silver surface layer should be described as plated or coated.

Our advice Plated jewelry is a base metal with a thin silver layer on top. Sterling silver is an alloy of silver and another metal, usually copper, all the way through.

How each one ages

• Sterling silver: the surface darkens as silver reacts with sulphur compounds in the air and on skin. Polishing removes the film and the metal beneath is still silver.
• Silver-plated: the layer can tarnish too, but it can also wear through where it rubs, showing a different colour underneath. Once the plating is gone, polishing cannot restore it.

Care differences

1. Clean plated items very gently with warm soapy water and a soft cloth.
2. Avoid abrasive polishes and silver dips on plated items, because they can remove the thin layer.
3. Sterling can take a polishing cloth and, with care, silver polish.
4. Store both dry, away from air and other metals.

Our advice If you wear a piece daily, sterling usually lasts longer as a silver-coloured object. Plated pieces are better for occasional wear or as inexpensive fashion items.

Which should you choose

It depends It depends on how often you wear it and what you want to spend. Plated silver is cheaper, and sterling costs more but can be refinished or repaired by a jeweller.

A buying rule of thumb

Our advice If you want to wear it often and have it repaired later, buy solid sterling. If you want a trend piece for a few months, plated is a sensible, honest choice as long as the listing says plated. The mistake to avoid is paying a sterling price for a plated item.

Uncertain How long plating lasts varies with its thickness, the base metal and how the piece is worn. We cannot give a duration without knowing those details.

Related reading: Can I wear sterling silver diamond jewelry at the gym? · Caring for 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry with Lab Grown Diamond Settings

Sources

• 16 CFR 23.5, FTC Jewelry Guides: misrepresentation as to silver content
• GIA, Diamond care and cleaning

Fact = stated by the cited source. Our advice = editorial recommendation. Uncertain / it depends = limits of what can be said in general.