Argentium is not one single silver recipe.
The current Argentium range includes two main purity grades:
Both contain more pure silver than traditional 925 sterling.
Both use germanium to produce the properties people usually associate with Argentium: strong tarnish resistance, a bright white colour, firestain resistance and the ability to be heat hardened.
So which one is better?
That is the wrong first question.
The better question is: which grade makes sense for the piece being made?
Argentium 940 contains 940 parts silver per thousand, or 94% pure silver.
The remaining 6% is the proprietary alloying system that includes germanium.
It is available in mill products and casting alloys and is designed to combine high silver purity with excellent working and wear properties.
Argentium 960 contains 960 parts silver per thousand, or 96% pure silver.
That gives it even higher silver content and a very bright white appearance.
It also retains the core Argentium characteristics that distinguish the alloy family from traditional sterling.
| Alloy | Silver purity | General character |
|---|---|---|
| Sterling silver | 92.5% | Traditional jewellery silver alloy |
| Argentium 940 | 94% | Higher purity, highly tarnish-resistant |
| Argentium 960 | 96% | Higher still, excellent tarnish resistance, brightest-white grade |
For the broader comparison, read Sterling Silver vs Argentium Silver.
No.
960 contains more silver.
That does not mean every design should be made in 960.
Jewellery alloys are selected for the job, not simply for the highest purity number.
Availability of sheet, wire, chain, solder and findings also influences what makes practical sense.
Both are naturally bright white silver alloys.
Argentium describes 960 as its brightest-white grade.
In a finished piece, polishing method, surface finish and surrounding materials also affect how you perceive colour.
A satin 960 surface can look visually softer than a mirror-polished 940 one even though the alloy itself is higher purity.
Both are designed for significantly improved tarnish resistance compared with traditional sterling.
Argentium describes 940 as highly tarnish-resistant and 960 as having excellent tarnish resistance.
In ordinary ownership, both are low-maintenance silver choices.
I would not choose between them solely because you are afraid one will suddenly behave like ordinary 925.
Yes.
Argentium can be strengthened through work hardening and low-temperature heat treatment.
That is one of the alloy family's useful properties for a metalsmith.
The exact process belongs at the bench, not in the customer's list of things she needs to manage.
In the annealed state, higher-purity silver alloys can behave differently from lower-purity ones.
But finished hardness is not determined by purity alone.
Work hardening, heat treatment, dimensions and design all matter.
A properly engineered 960 piece can be highly durable.
A poorly designed 940 piece can still be too thin.
Either can work depending on the component and design.
Availability matters.
For a custom necklace, I also have to think about the clasp, jump rings and any prefabricated chain sections because the whole piece needs to make sense together.
Read Argentium Silver Necklaces and Chains for that discussion.
Again, both can be appropriate.
For earrings, I care about:
High silver purity is useful, but it is not the only thing touching the ear.
That depends heavily on the ring.
A sculptural silver statement ring and an engagement ring expected to be worn every day for decades have different jobs.
I use Argentium for appropriate custom silver jewellery.
For engagement and wedding rings in my studio, I generally prefer 14K or 18K gold or platinum for the long-term wear requirement.
935 was an earlier Argentium grade.
You may still encounter older jewellery or historical information referring to it.
That does not make the mark incorrect.
The current Argentium product range centres on 940 and 960.
Not necessarily.
If you already know you want 960, tell me.
If you simply want Argentium because you want higher-purity, lower-maintenance silver, I can determine the appropriate material based on the design, construction method and available components.
You are commissioning jewellery, not sitting a metallurgy exam.
It can, because it contains more pure silver and may be more specialized to source in the exact form required.
In custom jewellery, however, the difference between 940 and 960 is often smaller than the cost differences created by:
I quote the entire piece rather than pretending the purity number alone determines value.
It is a high-purity silver alloy in the Argentium family rather than traditional 925 sterling.
Yes. It contains 94% silver.
Yes. Traditional sterling is 92.5% silver; Argentium 960 is 96% silver.
If a specific grade matters to you, say so. Otherwise, tell the jeweller what you want the finished piece to do and let material selection be part of the design process.
940 and 960 are meaningful alloy specifications.
They are not quality rankings for finished jewellery.
A well-designed 940 piece is better than an underbuilt 960 piece. Material and craftsmanship have to work together.
Read Custom Argentium Silver Jewelry in Canada or start a custom inquiry if you want to discuss which Argentium grade suits a specific project.
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