Sterling silver jewellery: how to choose

How to choose sterling silver jewellery

Start with the neckline or the wrist you are dressing, not with the piece itself. A short chain that settles at the collarbone reads clearly against bare skin, a V neck or an open shirt, while a pendant on a longer drop sits better over a high neckline or a fine knit. If you already wear a watch, decide whether you want a bracelet beside it or on the other wrist. Those two decisions narrow the field faster than anything else.

Next, choose the stone, or the absence of one. Moissanite gives a white, faceted sparkle and appears in our pieces as a single carat pendant and as a line of ten-point stones in a bracelet. Cubic zirconia brings a similar brightness in a flush bar setting. Coloured stones change the mood: a sapphire reads deep and cool, an amethyst brings a quiet violet, and the oval gem ring comes in a soft pink or a light blue.

Tone is the last decision, and often the one that makes a piece feel like yours. Polished sterling silver is bright and cool against skin, while a golden, rose gold or platinum gold finish warms or cools it further. If your other jewellery is mostly yellow, a warm finish will sit easily beside it; if you wear white metal, stay with silver or a white gold tone. Neither is more correct, and mixing the two deliberately looks considered rather than accidental.

Materials, details and fit

Our pieces are made from sterling silver, marked 925, and some carry a finish over the surface, such as an 18k golden tone, a rose gold finish, a platinum gold finish or a white gold tone. Where a stone is set, the setting tends to follow its shape rather than cover it, which is why an oval gem or a sapphire of 4 by 5mm keeps its outline. Read the detail on each piece for the exact stone, weight and finish.

Weight tells you more about comfort than size does. The pieces range from around 1.00g for the open ring to 4.00g for the geometric lock necklace, with pendants at 2g and 3g and the bar bracelet at about 3.2g. Lighter pieces disappear on the skin and suit long days; a slightly heavier necklace holds its line at the collarbone. Think about how long you will wear a piece before you fall for its shape.

Fit is adjustable in most cases. The open ring eases over the finger, the bar bracelet closes with a lobster claw clasp and an adjustable length so it sits centred with a little ease, and the pendant chains use extenders of 4cm or 5cm. Our rings take a usual size from 5 to 10 on a slim band, so size up if you prefer a looser fit or plan to stack.

How to style them

The easiest way to wear a short necklace is against a plain neckline. A geometric lock or a small rose flower sits best above a V neck, with an open shirt or on bare skin, where the shape is not competing with a collar. Over a black roll neck a warm finish stands out, and against a white shirt silver and a cool white tone look crisp.

Pendants reward a little adjusting. Fasten at the shortest point for the collarbone, then use the extender when you want the drop to clear a high neckline or sit over knitwear. A sapphire in a geometric frame reads quietly at a morning meeting and brightens under evening light, while a fish or heart motif is lighter in mood and works with an open collar.

Bracelets and rings are where you can afford to be bolder. A tennis bracelet in one continuous line looks modern beside a white shirt cuff, and the bar bracelet is quiet enough to wear with a watch. On the hand, a single oval gem on a slim band is a complete look; if you stack, keep the open ring on a different finger so each band keeps its own line.

Care and storage

Sterling silver is a soft metal, and that shapes how you look after it. Put jewellery on last, once perfume, lotion and hairspray have settled, and take it off first at night. Remove pieces before swimming, showering or washing up, and wipe them with a soft dry cloth after wear rather than leaving moisture on the surface.

Store pieces separately so chains do not tangle and stones do not scratch their neighbours. A lined box with small compartments, or a soft pouch for each piece, keeps a fine o-chain or cross chain from knotting. Hang necklaces if you have the space; clasps and extenders last longer when they are not pulled about in a drawer.

Silver darkens over time, which is normal and can be gently polished away with a silver cloth, working along the chain rather than across it. Take care around coloured finishes, which thin with repeated rubbing, so polish lightly and avoid abrasive pastes. If a stone looks loose or a clasp stops closing cleanly, have it looked at rather than wearing it.

Standout pieces

• Sterling Silver Geometric Lock Necklace: An 18k golden tone warms the clean lines of the lock against a sterling silver base, and at 4.00 g it sits lightly at the collarbone.
• Moissanite Pendant Necklace in 925 Silver: A single carat of moissanite hangs on a fine cross chain, with a 5 cm extender to set the drop and only 3 g of weight.
• Oval Gem Sterling Silver Ring: One oval gem in soft pink or light blue rests on a slim 925 sterling silver band of roughly 2 g.
• Moissanite Tennis Bracelet in Sterling Silver: Ten-point moissanite runs in an unbroken line through four-sided links, offered in white, yellow or rose gold colour.
• Adjustable 925 Sterling Silver Open Ring: An open front lets the polished band ease over the finger, and at 1.00 g it stays delicate on the hand.