Non-tarnish alloys are fairly new to the market. Argentium is one brand but there are others available that are similar. These alloys are a minimum of 92.5% silver though some will be slightly higher in silver content. O restante consiste em cobre e a adição do elemento germânio. The germanium makes the alloy harder and resistant to tarnish. Non-tarnish alloys can still tarnish under extreme conditions and after extended periods of time. Mas, they will generally require less maintenance than sterling. This tarnish resistance is the chief benefit of the metal though it is also notable that Argentium will fuse without solder. The trade-off is price. Argentium é significativamente mais caro que a libra esterlina e menos disponível. It is difficult to distinguish from sterling once on the market because the quality stamp is still .925. Manufacturers can go through an application process to receive authorization to use the Argentium(r) mark as well but this stamp is large and impractical for many jewelry pieces.