Silver long carried a reputation as a material for beginnings, something you start with before the time comes for gold. That is an unfair simplification, because the value of a piece is decided by how it is made, not by the metal alone. A silver ring created by hand, hardened and covered with rhodium will last decades, while cast mass production in gold disappoints within a year.
At BELLER silver pieces are made in the same workshop and pass through the same hands as our gold. A made to measure commission in silver is therefore not a second class service, it is the normal way we work. Below is what can actually be settled in such a project.
Is silver suitable for made to measure jewellery?
Yes, provided it is properly prepared. We work in 925 silver, hardened and covered with a layer of rhodium that protects the surface from tarnishing and adds hardness. Without those two steps silver really does lose its appearance quickly, and that is where its poor reputation comes from.
Hardening matters especially in slender forms and in rigid bracelets, which have to hold their shape through years of daily wear. Why rhodium plated silver behaves differently from plain silver is broken down in our piece on rhodium plated silver.
What exactly can be changed in a silver design?
The dimensions, the proportions, the surface finish and the engraving, which is everything except the fineness itself, since in silver there is only one. A ring is made in a specific size, a necklace and a bracelet in a specific length, and a form can be widened or narrowed. Engraving is part of the personalisation, at no additional charge.
The simplest example of such a change is Raw N°7 at 350 zł, a band 1 mm wide weighing 0.49 g. The same form in another width or with another texture is already a different piece, even though the design stays the same.
Do you set stones in silver?
Yes, and the same stones we work with in gold. The Elements N°2 earrings at 2 250 zł, measuring 18 by 4 mm and weighing 1.82 g, carry diamonds of D colour and VVS1 clarity, 0.06 CT each, measuring 2 by 2 mm. The Elements N°1 necklace at 2 750 zł carries a diamond pendant at a total weight of 8 g.
So there is no rule reserving stones for gold. There is a difference in proportion, though. In silver a smaller stone reads more clearly, because the background is cooler and more uniform.
How much does custom silver jewellery cost?
The reference point is our silver collection, which holds two hundred and one designs priced from 350 zł to 2 750 zł. It comprises sixty five rings, sixty one pairs of earrings, thirty two bracelets, twenty six pendants and seventeen necklaces.
The price of a commission is set by the quantity of metal, the stones and the labour involved, not by the mere fact that the piece is made to measure. The Round N°1 rigid bracelet at 750 zł, 3 to 5 mm wide and weighing 4.67 g, has engraving inside already allowed for in the design. The Elements N°3 necklace at 2 350 zł, weighing 9.81 g, is built from hand linked elements of 5 and 15 mm.
How does working in silver differ from working in gold?
Above all in how the material answers light. Silver is cooler and more graphic, it draws an edge more sharply and underlines the geometry of a form, while gold softens the contour with the warmth of its colour. Which means the same design in the two metals gives two different pieces, not two price versions of one.
The difference extends to service. Silver needs its rhodium layer renewed after years of wear, gold does not. On combining the two metals in one set, we wrote a separate piece on wearing gold with silver.
Does the rhodium layer need renewing?
After years of daily wear it does, and that is normal use rather than a fault in the making. Cleaning and polishing that restores the original appearance are free for the lifetime of the piece, and we assess the scope of each case individually in the boutique. The details are gathered on our Jewellery service page.
How fast the layer wears depends mainly on where the piece rubs against skin and fabric. A ring wears its coating faster than earrings, simply because the hand works all day.
How long does a silver commission take?
The term is agreed when ordering, because changing the size or length of an existing model is one thing and building a form from scratch is another. If the date by which the piece must be ready is already set, tell us straight away, and we adjust the pace of the workshop to your deadline.
Models available in the catalogue ship immediately, across Poland with DHL and to InPost lockers, and abroad through Poczta Polska and DHL. Every parcel is insured to the full value of the piece. Pieces personalised within the Your Way service are excluded from returns and exchanges, because they are made for one person only.
Where can you see the silver before ordering?
In both boutiques, at Mokotowska 71 in Warsaw and at Szczepańska 9 in Kraków, open Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 19:00, with no appointment needed. A photograph will not convey the difference between rhodium plated and plain silver, while in person it is obvious at once.
If you would like a starting point before the visit, our pieces on silver jewellery in Kraków and Warsaw and on custom earrings, where the design process itself is described, will help.
Frequently asked questions
What silver are BELLER pieces made from?
From 925 silver, hardened and covered with a layer of rhodium that protects the surface from tarnishing.
What can be changed in a custom silver design?
The dimensions, proportions, length, surface finish and engraving. In silver there is only one fineness, so that stays unchanged.
How much does BELLER silver jewellery cost?
The collection holds two hundred and one designs priced from 350 zł to 2 750 zł. The price of a commission is set by the quantity of metal, the stones and the labour involved.
Do you set diamonds in silver?
Yes, the same stones as in gold. The Elements N°2 earrings carry D VVS1 diamonds of 0.06 CT each, and the Elements N°1 necklace carries a diamond pendant.
Does the rhodium plating need renewing?
After years of daily wear it does. Cleaning and polishing that restores the original appearance are free for the lifetime of the piece.
Silver is truly judged only once you see it beside other silver. Book a meeting or come to Mokotowska 71 in Warsaw or Szczepańska 9 in Kraków, and we will show you the differences in finish and texture in person, before you decide what to change in the design.