If you are looking for unique jewelry, your choices will be determined by the metal that the jewelry is made of. As the jewelry world evolves, there is also an enhanced level of diversity around the kinds of metals used in jewelry making, which means that your options will be more than the traditional metal options that you were used to.
Beyond sterling silver, stainless steel, gold, palladium, and nickel, there are many other diverse metals used in jewelry making.
One such metal is known as Celestrium. In this article, we’ll look at everything you need to know about Celestrium, and more importantly, how Celestrium compares to sterling silver.
What is Celestrium?
Celestrium is one of the metal options used in jewelry making. It is not, however, a pure metal. Celestrium can be defined as one of the finest quality jeweler’s stainless steel. It has been trademarked as some type of austenitic stainless steel that has been developed especially for use in jewelry making.
What makes celestrium a highly desirable metal of choice for jewelry making is the fact that this metal is not only durable and a lot cheaper than most precious metals, celestrium resembles white gold.
It’s also quite strong, easy to maintain, and the best part is that it is resistant to corrosion or any other type of chemical reaction. Celestrium and other stainless steel alloys are marketed as White Ultrium, which is often used in making the best of class rings.
Celestrium is also significantly more malleable than stainless steel, meaning that its engraving is much easier, and it can be etched or even pressed just as easily as gold or sterling silver. But speaking of sterling silver and celestrium, celestrium is also quite desirable because of its strength, as well as the fact that it will preserve its shine and design with ease and without tarnishing the way silver or sterling silver would.
The other impressive feature of celestrium is the fact that this white metal boasts an elegant chemical composition that allows for the fabricated celestrium jewelry to retain its color and beautiful finish for a long time, with minimal need for buffing or cleaning for the metal to retain its lustrous finish and brightness.
That said, it’s worth noting that Celestrium is a creation of the Balfour brand, and they are the ones that own the full trademark rights to this metal. And the next best alternative to Balfour’s Celestrium is White Lustrium, which has a silver finish and is made of chromium and nickel – the White Lustrium is by Jostens, who make elegant class rings using this metal alloy.
Pros and cons of Celestrium
Pros
- It looks like white gold or even platinum but more durable than these metals.
- Affordable
- Very durable and strong
- Easy to maintain, and it doesn’t lose its natural luster easily
- The metal is quite malleable, which makes it the ideal option for anyone looking for engraved and highly personalized jewelry
- The silver finish is not lost over time since the metal doesn’t tarnish or react with elements in the environment
- It is hypoallergenic
- Nickel-free, unlike the alternative metal by Jostens, called White Lustrium, which is made of nickel and chromium.
- Great choice of metal for class rings
Cons
- It’s a trademarked metal under the Balfour brand, and you cannot just buy it off the internet.
What is sterling silver?
The next best, high-quality alternative to Celestrium is sterling silver. Well, some people would argue that Celestrium is the alternative to sterling silver, especially if you consider the differences between these two metals and the fact that Celestirum boasts superior features to sterling silver.
The high malleability, strength, durability, and tarnish resistance of Celestrium make it a better option for jewelers looking to offer their clients the best value for their money.
These are also the reasons why Celestrium is often used to make class rings, with fewer class rings actually made of sterling silver, especially for the high school class rings.
Back to sterling silver, this is a metal alloy that is made of 92.5% of pure silver by weight, and the remaining 7.5% is composed of other metal alloys, most often copper. Sterling is considered the quality standard for silver jewelry in the US and UK and the rest of the world markets.
Besides copper, some jewelers will alloy silver with other metals like nickel. Note that the alloying of pure silver is important because pure silver is too soft to be used to craft durable jewelry that will not scuff or get scratched easily.
Alloying also gives sterling silver its highly prized luster and luxurious color that makes elegant jewelry.
Sterling silver is also a cheaper precious metal in comparison with white gold, which why the color of sterling silver is what most people are familiar with. It is shiny and bright. The main issue with sterling silver is that it will tarnish, and it’s not as durable as most other white metals, such as platinum or Celestrium.
Unlike silver, sterling silver is harder and more durable. It’s also worth noting that a fine sterling silver chain, like other pieces of jewelry made of thin metals, can actually be drawn or stretched when tension is applied. So, your sterling silver jewelry could be annealed, formed, or soldered repeatedly with ease and without much change in the quality of the metal.
Pros and cons of Sterling silver
Pros
- Sterling silver is a very beautiful precious metal
- It is cheaper than platinum and gold
- It makes elegant fine jewelry, and you can find many options to choose from
- Allows for exceptionally crafted designs thanks to its malleability, which is why it is a popular choice among jewelers
- Sterling silver is a high-quality alternative and an ideal option for costume jewelry if you don’t wish to break the bank. Its price point is attractive, and the jewelry will last a long time while offering great value for money
Cons
- Sterling silver jewelry will tarnish over time, and it must be polished after some time.
- Sterling silver is soft, despite the alloying, which means that the jewelry may bend or scratch under undue pressure, repetitive wear, sudden knocks, and pressure.
Is Celestrium better than silver?
Yes. It doesn’t tarnish, it is durable, looks great over the years, and calls for minimal maintenance, and it’s cheaper than silver.
But if you are going for premium features and you are not worried about price tags, the Silver would be an option you could consider.
Conclusion
If you are looking for affordable silver jewelry options that will not break the bank, call for regular high-cost maintenance, and jewelry that will last a really long time without showing signs of wear, then Celestrium would be a great option for you.
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