I’m considering switching to stainless steel chains for my work. A number of years back the cost of sterling silver skyrocketed and I was forced to switch to silver plated chains for my necklaces. With 100’s of necklaces in stock, I can’t afford to keep that much money tied up in chains. I considered chains sort of like packaging, they are not the main focus of the piece, my glass is the focus, the chain was just a vehicle for displaying it. Many people have a nice chain they can switch out. However, I was still unhappy with the silver plated chains, yes the cost is great, but they discolor over time. I often have to discard and replace the chains because they tarnish and can’t be cleaned (I’ve tried, they get weird,) and that’s just not very sustainable. I detest throwing things away like that.
Just about a year ago, I ordered some stainless steel chains for myself. I’ve worn one for a year now, every day, it doesn’t discolor, it’s strong and I really like it. The only downside I see is that it’s not as shiny as silver, and I wonder if that would be off-putting? I also like the idea of steel and glass together, as in architecture. In addition, some people have allergic reactions to silver so cannot wear the silver chains, but stainless is hypoallergenic. Stainless steel is stronger, cleaner and will last longer.
So i’m gonna go out on a limb and swap out for stainless steel chains this season and see what happens. I’ll have a limited number of sterling chains, as well, but the price is significantly higher. I’ll also use up my silver plated ones but, after that, I think I’ll not order more of those.
~Nan