We get this question a lot: "Do you have any silver jewelry?" Or sometimes clients will accidentally call our platinum collection silver because the two look so similar.
But honestly, we don’t carry any silver in our store, not because silver isn't beautiful, but because after years of fabricating, repairing, and caring for fine jewelry, we've found it just isn't the right metal for pieces meant to last a lifetime. Platinum is.
If you've ever wondered what actually separates platinum vs. silver and why that difference is so significant, here’s the real answer.
What's the Actual Difference Between Platinum and Silver?
At a glance, platinum and fine silver can look nearly identical, but once you actually hold a piece of each, the difference is obvious. Here's what's really going on underneath that shine.
1. Density and Weight
Platinum feels substantially heavier and denser in your hand. The metal itself is more solid and substantial than silver. It's one of those small details clients notice the moment they try something on.
2. Color and Finish Over Time
Platinum develops what's called a patina, which is a soft, satiny glow that comes from decades of gentle everyday wear. A lot of our clients end up loving that look.
Silver, on the other hand, tarnishes. It reacts with air and needs regular polishing just to keep its shine, especially on pieces that aren't worn often.
3. Purity
Platinum jewelry is typically 90-95% pure platinum, which is part of why it wears so well over time.
Sterling silver is only 92.5% silver. The rest is other metals mixed in to make it durable enough to wear at all. Fine silver is 99% silver, making it more prone to denting and scratching, but it tarnishes less than sterling silver.
That difference in purity is a major factor in why the two metals age so differently.
A Quick Note on Silver Maintenance
We buy a lot of silver because people simply can’t keep up with the maintenance. The tarnishing, denting, and scratches are too expensive to keep up with, and most people would rather sell it to us.
We collect as much as we can, then melt it down to make into other jewelry. We then sell the new piece to other jewelers to resell.
So if you’ve ever wondered why we have 5-gallon buckets of silver forks in our store, that’s why!
Why Silver Isn't the Right Fit for Heirloom or Custom Work
So many of the pieces that come through our doors aren't just jewelry—they're a mother's ring, a grandmother's brooch, a stone that's been in the family for decades.
When we're rebuilding or designing something sentimental, the metal has to withstand real life for another 50 years, not just look good on day one.
Silver is a beautiful metal, but it wasn't designed for the daily wear and long-term durability that heirloom and custom pieces demand.
Here’s why:
Softness and durability
Silver is a soft metal, which means it scratches, bends, and wears down faster than platinum, especially on a ring worn every day. For a piece that's supposed to last generations, that softness becomes a real liability over time, not just a minor trade-off.
Tarnishing
Silver reacts with air and needs regular polishing to keep its shine. It’s manageable for occasional-wear pieces, but frustrating for daily-wear jewelry or sentimental pieces that get tucked away in jewelry boxes.
This matters for custom design specifically because one-of-a-kind pieces built to be worn and passed down need a metal that ages well, not one that needs babying.
Why We Build in Platinum Instead
Platinum has qualities that make it genuinely special to work with, not just easier to maintain. Some of it comes down to the metal itself, and some to what our team is actually capable of doing with it.
Here's the full picture.
Hypoallergenic and Naturally White
Platinum is naturally hypoallergenic, which makes it a great option for clients with sensitive skin or metal allergies. It's also naturally white all the way through, so unlike white gold, it never needs rhodium replating to keep its color. What you see on day one is what you'll still see years down the road.
Density Protects Stones Better
Because platinum is so dense, it holds prong settings more securely than softer metals. This matters a lot when those settings are protecting an heirloom diamond or gemstone you can't replace. Over decades of wear, that extra security prevents an emergency repair.
What About Cost?
Let's address it directly, because we know it's usually the first question: yes, platinum costs more upfront than silver.
The price reflects:
- A denser, rarer metal
- The skill it takes to work with
The more useful way to think about it isn't the price tag on day one—it's the cost per year of wear. A silver piece that needs regular polishing, reshaping, or eventual replacement adds up in ways that don't show up on the receipt. And of course, your prongs aren’t going to break when it’s convenient for you. It’ll be when you’re out the door, on your way to a big event.
Meanwhile, a platinum piece is built to be repaired, resized, and passed down instead of replaced. It’s the ‘ole reliable’ piece in your jewelry box.
Caring For Platinum Jewelry Is Much Easier vs Silver
Caring for platinum jewelry at home is simple. A quick wipe with a soft cloth after wearing keeps everyday dust and oils from building up, and a gentle warm-water and mild-soap soak handles most everything else. Unlike silver, there's no tarnish to fight because the soft patina that platinum develops over time is part of its charm.
That said, we still recommend bringing your platinum pieces in every so often for a professional cleaning and check-up, especially if they're worn daily or set with stones.
Can platinum jewelry be resized or repaired easily?
Yes, and this is actually one of platinum's biggest advantages over time. Because it's such a dense, stable metal, platinum can be resized, reset, and repaired again and again without weakening the piece.
If you already have a platinum piece that needs some love, or you're building something new that you want to last, our repairs team works with platinum every day.
Come See the Difference for Yourself
Silver isn’t a bad choice, but when a piece is meant to be worn every day or passed down through generations, platinum holds up better than silver can. That's why it's the only metal we use for our custom work, and we stand behind it with every piece that leaves our store.
Platinum isn't an easy metal to fabricate or set stones in. It takes real skill, patience, and the right in-house experience to work with confidence. That's part of why we take pride in it: our jewelers do the kind of fabrication and stone-setting work that many shops simply can't offer.
If you're working on something new or thinking about what to do with a piece you already have, we'd love to talk it through with you. Learn more about our custom design process, then schedule an appointment to walk through it together in-store.
Shop platinum engagement rings and wedding bands.