Nickel silver (German silver)

Nickel silver, also called German silver or alpaca, is an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc that looks like silver but contains none. Its silvery look and low price make it common in costume jewelry, cutlery and findings.

Properties #

• Composition: roughly 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc, varying by maker.
• Color: silvery white, slightly yellowish next to silver.
• Hardness: harder than silver, flexible and easy to work.
• Melting point: around 1100 °C.
• Reaction to air: it tarnishes over time, though less than silver.

Uses in jewelry #

• Costume jewelry with a silver look.
• Clasps, chains and findings.
• Cutlery and silver-plated decorative objects.
• Base for silver plating.

Pros and cons #

Advantages #

• Inexpensive, with a silvery look.
• Easy to work and solder.
• Tougher than silver.

Limitations #

• It contains nickel, a frequent cause of contact allergy.
• It has neither the value nor the shine of sterling silver.
• It darkens over time.

Care and cleaning #

• Avoid prolonged water and chemicals.
• Clean with a soft cloth and a mild metal polish.
• Store it dry and apart from other jewelry.
• If your skin is sensitive, choose nickel-free jewelry.

See also #

• Brass
• Stainless steel
• Silver