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 Replies: 9 / Views: 1,770 |
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Moderator
 United States
23497 Posts |
I want all my new coins to be made this way-
or maybe that would take the fun out of collecting
How about some opinions.
Major Breakthrough for Silver Industry - World's First Non-Tarnishing Sterling Silver
British experts have pioneered the world's first non-tarnishing sterling silver in a breakthrough that could revolutionise the silver industry.
Researchers in Sheffield, the city famous for stainless steel, have developed a 'stainless silver' alloy that resists the discolouring effect of pollutants and retains its bright finish.
The groundbreaking alloy, developed by researchers from Sheffield Hallam University's Materials and Engineering Research Institute (MERI) and leading UK silverware brand Carrs of Sheffield, could boost the global market for silver, often dismissed as the 'poor man's gold.'
The new product outshines standard sterling silver by keeping its shine and colour intact, putting an end to regular polishing and high care costs. Marketed as Carrs Lustre Silver, makers hope it will change the public's perception of traditionally high-maintenance silverware.
Dr Hywel Jones from MERI said:
"The biggest problem with silver as a precious metal is that it tarnishes with time. The yellowing or blackening of the metal means that traditional silver items like cutlery are increasingly unattractive for the modern market, because they need a lot of upkeep."
"The new alloy has exceeded all our expectations and is a development of great significance. Silver has been used by man for 5000 years and this is one of the most important developments in that time.
"It has potential to be exploited in areas other than silverware, for example in electrical connectors, a huge market in today's world of computers and electronic control systems"
Independent tests at the Sheffield Assay Office and the Cutlery and Allied Trades Research Association (CATRA) have proven its resistance to tarnishing, which occurs when silver reacts with sulphur containing substances in the air, forming a silver sulphide film that blackens the surface of the metal.
Dr Jones said:
"Previous attempts to produce a 'stainless' silver by adding germanium for example have resulted in alloys that were difficult to manufacture. Not only does our alloy resist tarnishing, but it can be cast, rolled, worked by silversmiths, soldered, heat-treated and polished without any of the problems that can arise when you change the chemistry and mechanical properties of an existing alloy. It's also resistant to fire-staining, which makes the production process more efficient.
"The 'stainless' silver finished product requires no polish; just a simple wipe with a cloth restores its original finish, meaning that it's as good as gold in terms of being tarnish-proof."
Carrs Silver founder Ron Carr added:
"We recognised the need for a new sterling silver for a new generation, because customers want products that stay looking beautiful with the minimum of effort."
Lustre Silver has been developed over four years as part of a €2.2m European-funded research project. Manufactured exclusively by Carrs of Sheffield, it will be officially launched at the Spring Fair, Birmingham NEC (5-9 February, 2006), along with a new Lustre range that includes iPod nano holders, business card holders, passport covers and cutlery. rggoodie
aka Richard
"catch em doing something right"
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Pillar of the Community
United States
980 Posts |
Interesting Richard. thanks for posting it.
Don
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7123 Posts |
Since they call it sterling but do not mention content I assume it retains its .925 silver content?
Interesting Read , thanks RG
Rick
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Pillar Of The Community
3147 Posts |
My concerns are similiar to Metalman. Usually when someone starts professing "perfection" it turns out to be another altered piece of technological junk. Hey, you know they can make the perfect diamond now don't you? The problem is NO ONE is much buying into it! Of course I am also skeptical of most medicines especially when I read or hear the potential "side effects"! Why in the world would someone take a medication for a minor problem that could cause MAJOR problems is beyond me! I will give the British the benefit of the doubt on this one but will have to learn more, much more, concerning purity and weight as like it or not, in my old fashioned ways, circulated coins ARE supposed to change!
I guess one potential result would be that all coins are now perfect so we could get rid of the grading system and all the grading companies as we wouldn't need them any more! Now we could ALL buy into that!
Edited by crystalk64
01/25/2006 2:44 pm
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Valued Member
United States
108 Posts |
If you are talking about Argentium Sterling Silver. The silver will still tarnish but, over a longer period of time. It can be cleaned. Yet when exposed to heat and temperature. The cross-section shows that there is no firescale. Firescale or firestain is a reddish purple toned bloom or stain that appears on silver/copper alloys such as sterling silver when they are heated in the presence of oxygen. Sterling silver alloy contains 925 of pure silver. wile this is a great idea for flatware and, jewelry the manufacturing process is better because firescale is toxic. I don't think it will do much for the coin industry and, is much better used for silver plating and other non bullion purposes.[:p]  [:p] Edited by Vic
01/25/2006 3:50 pm
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Pillar Of The Community
3147 Posts |
I am sure this NEW method rggoodie is refering to was just announced in the last week or two. Read a story on it myself but prefer .999 silver and will take my chances on such as, quite honestly, the more silver coins that are bagged marked, scratched, circulated and finger printed just makes those few mint state coins much more valuable and desirable wouldn't you think?
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
It might mean the end of easy silver toning process and hence driving more insane prices for toned coins?
My partial coin collection http://www.omnicoin.com/collection/gxseriesMy numismatics articles and collection: http://www.gxseries.com/numis/numis_index.htmRegularly updated at least once a month. |
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
438 Posts |
Yes but they're not doing it for coins Terry, they've developed it for modern jewellry.
It's still .925 silver, the only thing they must have done is played around with the other elements that make up the alloy. Germanium being one such metalliod (i believe I'm right in saying metalliod). They might also have treated it whilst it was cooling, or it might have been mixed at a certain temperature or something.
The question i'd like answering though is how much money they've spent researching this! Seemingly when the only benefit is a aesthetic one. What shocks me more though is that it's the vocationally based Hallam University that's made this breakthrough and not the more prestigious and academic University of Sheffield.
Edited by Ætheling
01/31/2006 09:23 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2271 Posts |
Wow!!!
Things just keep getting better and better for silver. Stainless silver is probably less likely to cause an alergic reaction if used as jewelry and makes it much more attractive for this usage.
Time don't fly, it bounds and leaps.
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
438 Posts |
Perhaps that's the reason I've been looking for cladking! I hadn't thought of that, I figured there'd be more than aesthetics to it.
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Replies: 9 / Views: 1,770 |
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Posted 01/25/2006 1:59 pm
