Sterling Silver Necklaces

Silver has always been the democratic precious metal — valuable enough to hallmark, workable enough to make beautifully, and priced so that a well-made necklace could be bought, worn, and kept for a lifetime. Antique sterling silver necklaces reward that history: solid construction, hand-finishing, and designs that were made to be worn every day rather than admired in a box. The standard behind them is 925 — sterling silver, 92.5 percent pure silver alloyed for strength — and the hallmarks struck into clasps and links record where a piece was made and assayed.

The forms in this collection are the ones the silver trade did best. The festoon necklace drapes swagged chains between points, often with a fringe of stones — a design with Georgian roots that flowered again in the Edwardian years. The riviere runs a single line of matched stones or pastes around the neck, its length and sparkle doing all the work. Watch chains and Albert chains, made for a gentleman's pocket watch, are worn today as necklaces in their own right, their weight and links as handsome now as they were a century ago.

Mexican silver deserves its own word. In the mid twentieth century the workshops of Taxco made Mexico one of the world's great silver centers, and their necklaces — graduated beads by the hundred, bold foliate pendants, signed designer pieces — are heavier, more sculptural, and more individual than almost anything else in silver. A graduated bead necklace carries its weight at the front and fastens with a box clasp; the stamps on that clasp name the workshop town and the standard of the silver.

Silver asks little: wear it often, since wear itself discourages tarnish, and store it dry and separate so the surface is not scratched by harder stones. Warm soapy water and a soft cloth suit most antique pieces; the soft, oxidized shading in the recesses of an old necklace is part of its making, not dirt to be polished away. Every necklace here is researched before listing, its marks read and its silver described as it tests and stamps — sterling where it is sterling, and said plainly where a piece is silver in color only.

Frequently asked questions

What does 925 mean on a necklace? It is the standard mark for sterling silver: 925 parts per thousand of pure silver, alloyed with other metals for hardness. British sterling is also struck with hallmarks — a lion for the standard, plus marks for the assay office, the maker, and the year.

What is the difference between sterling silver and silver plate? Sterling is solid silver alloy all the way through. Silver plate is a thin layer of silver over a base metal, and it wears through at edges and high points. Plate has its own honest history, but the two should never be described as the same thing — and at Royal Regency they never are.

What is a festoon necklace? A festoon necklace is built from swags: chains or strands draped in curves between set points, often finished with drops or a fringe of stones. The style began in the Georgian period and returned in Edwardian dress necklaces, where moonstones and pastes made the swags glow.

What is a riviere necklace? A riviere is a necklace of a single row of matched stones — originally diamonds or pastes — flowing around the neck like the river it is named for. Long examples can be worn doubled; the appeal is one unbroken line of light.

How should I care for an antique silver necklace? Wear it, first of all — regular wear slows tarnish. Clean gently with warm water, a drop of mild soap, and a soft cloth, dry it thoroughly, and store it in a soft pouch away from rubber and wool. Leave the dark shading in the engraving; it is the maker's contrast, not neglect.

From Our Archive

The necklaces below have already been sold through Royal Regency. We keep them here as a record of the pieces we handle — each one researched and hallmark-checked before it was offered, in the same way as everything in this collection.

A sterling silver moonstone festoon necklace, Edwardian style. Swagged chains suspend a fringe of moonstones, each stone glowing as it turns — the festoon form at its most romantic, and the finest silver necklace of its kind to pass through the shop. Sold through our Whatnot showroom.

A Victorian sterling silver and Bohemian garnet necklace. Rose-cut garnets clustered in silver in the Bohemian taste, worn close at the throat — the deep red work that Victorian jewelers made a specialty. Sold through our Whatnot showroom.

An Art Deco rock crystal necklace in sterling silver. Faceted rock crystal drops on a fifteen-inch chain — cool, clear, and geometric, in the taste of the years between the wars. Sold through our Whatnot showroom.

A paste riviere drop necklace, Edwardian into Deco. Square-cut pastes in a thirty-six-inch line with a drop — worn long or doubled, in the evening manner of its time. Sold through our Whatnot showroom.

An Art Deco onyx necklace, platinum over 800 silver. Black onyx against bright platinum-finished silver — the strong contrast the Deco years loved, in a fifteen-inch necklace. Sold through our Whatnot showroom.