Why Sterling Silver? The Beauty Behind the Metal I Choose

Why this timeless metal has remained at the heart of my work.

When I first began learning to work with metal, I don’t think I gave much thought to the fact that sterling silver would eventually become such an important part of Plein de Vie.

I was far more concerned with learning how to use a jeweller’s saw without breaking quite so many blades. 😂

But over the years, as I’ve learned more about silversmithing and developed my own style as a maker, sterling silver has remained the metal I return to again and again.

There are practical reasons for that.

But there are also reasons that are harder to put on a specification sheet.

I love the way silver feels.

I love the way it catches the light without demanding attention.

I love how beautifully it works with gemstones, pearls and texture.

And perhaps most of all, I love that it can become something beautiful enough to treasure while still being wearable enough to become part of someone’s everyday life.

That combination feels very Plein de Vie to me.

So, What Exactly Is Sterling Silver?

Pure silver is a beautiful metal, but it’s quite soft.

That softness makes it less practical for many types of jewelry that are meant to be worn regularly.

Sterling silver solves that problem by combining silver with a small amount of another metal — most commonly copper — to give it greater strength and durability.

Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver, which is why you’ll often see the number 925 stamped on sterling silver jewelry.

That remaining 7.5% gives the metal enough strength to become rings, earrings, chains, clasps, bracelets and all the little components that allow a piece of jewelry to move through everyday life.

For me as a silversmith, that balance is part of what makes it such a wonderful material to work with.

I Love That Silver Still Shows the Hand of the Maker

One of my favourite things about working with sterling silver is how responsive it is.

I can saw it.

Shape it.

Hammer it.

Texture it.

Form it.

Solder pieces together.

Polish it until it catches the light.

And through all those stages, a flat piece of metal slowly becomes something entirely different.

A flower.

A branch.

A circle.

A cuff.

A tiny setting for a gemstone.

There is something incredibly satisfying about watching that transformation happen at my bench.

And I don't necessarily want every trace of the process to disappear.

A softly hammered surface or an intentionally organic shape gives a piece character. It reminds us that someone actually made it.

That sense of the maker's hand is part of what you'll find throughout my Sterling Silver Jewelry Collection.

Silver Lets Gemstones Be Themselves

I’ve always loved working with gemstones.

Aquamarine. Peridot. Sapphire. Topaz. Garnet. Amethyst.

And, of course, pearls.

Sterling silver has a wonderful way of sitting quietly beside them.

Its cool, neutral colour doesn't compete with a stone. Instead, it gives the colour room to come forward.

That’s especially beautiful with the blues and greens I’m naturally drawn to — colours that remind me so much of water, sky, forests and the landscape around me here in the Okanagan.

You can see that relationship between sterling silver and natural inspiration throughout pieces in the Bloom Collection and the Blue Stone Jewelry Collection.

The silver is important.

But it doesn't always need to be the loudest thing in the room.

I rather like that about it.

Yes, Sterling Silver Tarnishes

This is probably one of the most common things people notice about sterling silver.

And yes — sterling silver can tarnish.

That doesn't mean there is something wrong with your jewelry or that the silver is poor quality.

Tarnish is a natural surface reaction that can occur as silver is exposed to substances in the air and its environment. How quickly it happens can vary depending on how a piece is worn, stored and cared for.

The good news is that sterling silver can usually be brought back to its beautiful shine with proper care and polishing.

I actually think there is something rather reassuring about that.

A piece can be worn.

It can change a little.

It can be cleaned and polished.

And then it goes right back out into the world with you.

Jewelry doesn't need to remain untouched to remain beautiful.

It Works With Real Life

This may be the biggest reason sterling silver has stayed at the heart of Plein de Vie.

I don't design jewelry with the idea that it should spend most of its life tucked away waiting for the right occasion.

I want you to wear it.

With jeans and a white shirt.

To meet a friend for coffee.

To dinner.

On vacation.

On an ordinary Tuesday when absolutely nothing special is happening.

Sterling silver has that wonderful ability to move between those moments.

A simple pair of silver hoops can feel completely at home with a casual outfit.

Add a gemstone or a beautiful pearl and the same cool silver takes on a different personality.

It can be understated.

It can be sculptural.

It can be polished and elegant.

And it never seems to be trying too hard.

Timeless Matters More to Me Than Trendy

My relationship with style has changed over the years.

I'm much less interested in what I'm supposed to be wearing and much more interested in what I genuinely love.

Sterling silver fits beautifully into that philosophy.

It doesn't depend on a particular season or trend.

A beautifully made silver bangle, a pair of hoops or a simple pendant can be worn for years.

And over time, those pieces can begin to carry something more than style.

They collect memories.

The necklace you wore on a wonderful trip.

The bracelet you bought for yourself after reaching a milestone.

The earrings that somehow became the pair you reach for without even thinking about it.

That's when jewelry becomes interesting to me.

Not when it's simply new.

When it becomes yours.

And That Is Why I Keep Choosing Silver

After all these years, I still love sitting at my bench with a piece of sterling silver in front of me and wondering what it might become.

Sometimes I know exactly where I'm going.

Sometimes the idea changes somewhere between the saw, the hammer and the soldering bench.

That’s part of the pleasure of making things by hand.

Sterling silver gives me room to explore all of it — clean lines, texture, movement, gemstones, flowers, branches and those wonderfully simple shapes I seem to return to again and again.

But ultimately, the metal is only the beginning.

What matters is what happens afterward.

A piece leaves my bench.

Someone chooses it.

She wears it.

And eventually it becomes part of her own story.

That's the beauty of sterling silver to me.

Timeless enough to keep.

Beautiful enough to treasure.

And easy enough to wear through the real days that make up a life.