Nickel vs silver, not just copper substitute

Jewelry Discussion
21 
Speak for yourself! I have been working with nickel-silver, brass,
and copper for 30 years, have never had a complaint about a nickel
allergy or skin stain and have lots of repeat customers who love
my jewelry.

The customers you have probably don’t have any problems with
nickel… The ones that know they have a nickel sensitivity know to
not buy it. A lot of people that have UNKNOWN nickel allergies have
given up on buying non-gold jewelry as they think they are allergic
to silver and light metals. Those people, of course, are mistaken;
they are usually reacting to the nickel. To people sensitive to
sulfides the oxidation that forms on the silver and copper can cause
a skin reaction; tell them to keep their jewelry clean. I have come
across many people who did not know about nickel sensitivity, but
thought they were basically allergic to all metals. I have sold or
even at times given them jewelry. They now know differently.

I can speak from first hand knowledge, the reaction can be very bad.
I have a rather large tub of triamcinolone (prescription steroid)
for such occasions.

Val

22

HI Robin,

In the European Union there is legislation which restricts the use
of nickel in jewellery and some other products including wrist
watches etc. http://www.teg.co.uk/nickel/2004-96-EC.htm

The Australian standards allows for a percentage of nickel to be
used in alloys, however it’s not illegal to do so and the standards
are volountary.

Regards Charles A.

23

Both Tim McCreight and Indian Jewelers Supply give “Nickel Silver” as
Cu/Zn/Ni 65/17/18 while McCreight gives 65/18/17 as "German Silver"
and says the two are often used interchangably.