Argentium® Sterling Silver Wire

I found Argentium Sterling Silver wire in 2001. I fell in love with it!  95% of my artwear is created with Argentium.

The invention of Argentium Sterling Silver is the most important advance in silver technology today. This unprecedented, patented material is redefining the jewelry industry.  Unlike standard sterling silver, Argentium Sterling Silver is virtually tarnish-free.  It stays bright and beautiful for weeks, months and years with no need to polish it. It requires no more than a light dusting or occasional wipe with a soft cloth to keep its shine.
While it contains the 92.5% fine silver required for sterling, Argentium replaces about 1% of the normal copper content in sterling with germanium, significantly altering the alloy's properties. Its advantages over standard sterling include:

• Tarnish resistant: A light dusting or occasional wipe with a soft cloth are all you need to keep its shine. The resistance actually increases over time.
• Resistant to dents, scratches and abrasion. 
• Better for the environment because it doesn't develop firescale (a reddish patina) when heated, which eliminates processes that use hazardous materials needed to strip firescale from standard sterling materials. 
• Laser weldable, opening new design possibilities. 
• Can be hardened (through thermal conditioning) to be almost twice as tough as standard sterling.

If you would like more information on this superior silver please visit this site: http://www.argentiumsilver.info/