Yes.
Argentium is real silver.
Not silver plate.
Not “silver tone.”
Not a coating over brass.
Current Argentium grades are solid high-purity silver alloys containing 94% or 96% silver.
The reason they have their own name is that the remaining alloy recipe — particularly the addition of germanium — changes how the silver behaves.
940 means the alloy contains 940 parts silver per thousand.
That is 94% pure silver.
Traditional sterling is 925, or 92.5% silver.
So 940 Argentium contains more silver than standard sterling.
960 means 96% silver.
It is an even higher-purity silver alloy.
Argentium describes 960 as its brightest-white current grade.
It belongs to the broader world of silver jewellery alloys, but I would not casually call 940 or 960 “ordinary sterling.”
Sterling traditionally means an alloy containing at least 92.5% silver.
Argentium has its own proprietary formulation and performance characteristics.
If the distinction matters to a buyer, I label it Argentium.
Pure silver is beautiful and very soft.
Jewellery usually benefits from an alloy that improves working characteristics and finished durability.
The goal is not to dilute silver for no reason.
The goal is to create a material suitable for actual objects that have to be formed, soldered, set, worn and repaired.
Germanium is the key element that distinguishes Argentium from traditional sterling formulations.
It contributes to:
For the deeper science, read What Is Germanium Doing in Argentium Silver?.
No.
The silver colour is the metal itself.
Argentium does not need rhodium plating to look white and bright.
That means normal wear does not expose a brass or copper core underneath because there is no base-metal core.
The surface finish can scratch, polish or patinate, just like other precious metals.
But Argentium itself does not “wear off” like a plated finish.
If the piece is professionally refinished, you are still revealing Argentium beneath Argentium.
It is purer.
That is not the same as saying every 940 object is better than every 925 object.
Craftsmanship still matters.
Thickness still matters.
Design still matters.
A beautifully engineered sterling ring can be superior to a poorly made Argentium ring.
The alloy gives the jeweller a different material to work with; it does not replace judgement.
It contains more silver.
Both are premium Argentium grades.
The best choice depends on the piece, material form and construction.
Read Argentium 940 vs 960 for the detailed comparison.
935 was an earlier Argentium formulation.
Older jewellery and documentation may legitimately carry that designation.
Current official product literature focuses on 940 and 960.
Ask the maker or retailer to state the material clearly.
Argentium is a registered brand and licensed users may use Argentium branding and the Winged Unicorn mark according to the brand's rules.
Depending on the country, precious-metal fineness marks may also appear.
Do not assume that any bright white silver object is Argentium.
The Winged Unicorn is Argentium's registered endorsement mark.
Licensed use identifies items made in Argentium silver under the brand program.
It is a brand/material identification tool rather than a replacement for understanding the actual purity grade.
It uses a specialized proprietary alloy system, contains more silver than standard sterling and can cost more to source in the forms a jeweller needs.
The wearer is paying for actual material differences, not just a fashionable name.
Read Why Is Argentium Silver More Expensive Than Sterling?.
Bright white.
Its natural silver colour is one of its advantages.
It can be finished:
The surface finish changes how you perceive the metal, but the underlying alloy remains the same.
Absolutely.
It is a jewellery metal, not a special-purpose novelty alloy.
I use it in designs including pearl necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
The Pearl All-around Necklace and Freshwater Pearl Necklace both offer Argentium options.
No. Current grades contain 94% or 96% silver.
No. Silver plate is a thin silver surface over another material. Argentium is a solid silver alloy.
Yes. Traditional sterling is 92.5% silver. Current Argentium grades are 94% and 96%.
It is a silver alloy whose primary constituent is precious-metal silver.
Argentium does not need to pretend to be sterling.
Its value is precisely that the alloy was changed.
You are still buying solid silver. You are buying a modern silver formulation designed to behave differently.
Read Sterling Silver vs Argentium Silver or visit Custom Argentium Silver Jewelry in Canada if you are ready to move from material research into an actual piece.
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