A question about stainless steel as jewelry.?

Stainless has appreciated greatly in value over silver. 28 years ago, I bought a troy ounce of silver for $8. Last I checked, it's still only worth about $8, granted that I haven't checked in years.

Stainless has been used in art form for years. I remember seeing art made from stainless at the Dallas Museum of art when I was in high school. I expect people have been making art from the non-ferrous alloy for as long as it's been around.

And it's been used for jewelry for at least the last 10 years. It's far easier to machine and work than silver, it doesn't tarnish, you never have to polish it, and through a recent misadventure I discovered that it's virtually indestructible provided all the parts are made of stainless.

To explain the last statement, I bought a pair of beautifully crafted stainless steel bracelets in lieu of engagement rings. The engagement didn't last, but there the bracelet was on my desk several years later. I put it on for old time's sake. The bracelet is, stainless, apparently the set screw to hold it in place is not. A fever sweat from a bout with the flu had the thing locked on like a handcuff. It took me and a neighbor about 4 hours, and 8 beers, of cutting away with a Dremel to finally hack through the 2 milimeters of stainless to get to the set screw and cut through it. The bracelet popped right off. any other metal and I would have expected the joints to expand and fuse, along with burning the bejasus out of me in the process.

This is why they make things out of stainless and not silver. From art, to jewelry, to your kitchen sink.

D

I am in stainless steel jewelry field now. Before was in silver jewelry company. Stainless steel (304SS, or 316L by default) is almost 70 times less cheap than silver. This enables more people to do craft works. More creative people engaged into.

By cost knowledge of ss jewelry, the design, hand made process and coating cost much than its material. Making makes the value of a ss jewelry actually. There is a trend that more and more makers are trying to bring ss jewelry into luxury field too.

Apparently, much more designs in the market of stainless steel jewelry than silver made too.

E.G: