Best Silver Brands Uk
What Makes Good Silver Jewellery?
Not all silver jewellery is equal. The difference between a piece that lasts a lifetime and one that turns dull within months comes down to three things: metal purity, hallmarking, and design quality. If you understand these three factors, you will always make the right choice.
The 925 Hallmark
The number 925 stamped on a piece of jewellery indicates sterling silver — an alloy of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper (or other stabilising metals). This ratio is the international standard: pure enough to retain silver’s lustre and value, with enough alloy metal to give it the hardness needed for daily wear.
In the UK, the 925 hallmark is often accompanied by a full assay office mark. The four UK assay offices are:
- Birmingham — anchor symbol, the most common for silver jewellery
- London — leopard’s head
- Edinburgh — castle
- Sheffield — rose
Under UK law, any silver item over 7.78 grams sold as silver must carry a hallmark from one of these offices. Brands that submit to UK assay are taking an additional quality step — an independent third party has tested and confirmed the metal content.
What to Look For on the Piece
- 925 or .925 stamp — confirms sterling silver content
- Assay office symbol — UK third-party verification (anchor, leopard’s head, castle, or rose)
- Maker’s mark — registered sponsor’s initials, identifies the brand
- Date letter — the year of hallmarking (not always present on modern pieces)
Design Quality
Good silver jewellery design is not just about aesthetics. It is about how the piece is constructed. Joints, clasps, and settings should be soldered cleanly, not glued. Stone settings should be secure without sharp edges. Chains should flow smoothly with no rough links. These details separate pieces made to last from pieces made to sell.
The brands we stock at OD’s have been chosen precisely because their construction standards hold up over time. We have seen what comes back for sizing adjustments and what comes back because it has broken — and we only continue stocking brands whose pieces survive daily wear.
Finishing and Surface Treatment
Sterling silver can be finished in several ways: high polish (bright mirror shine), brushed or satin (matte, understated), oxidised (deliberately darkened for contrast), or rhodium-plated (a platinum-group metal coating that adds tarnish resistance). Each finish has its place, and good brands use finishing intentionally as part of the design language, not just to hide poor workmanship.
925 Sterling Silver vs Silver-Plated
This is the single most important distinction to understand before buying. The difference is not just cosmetic — it affects longevity, value, and how the piece ages.
Sterling Silver (925)
Solid silver alloy throughout. The 925 content runs all the way through the metal. Even if the surface tarnishes or shows wear, the silver underneath is unchanged. Can be polished indefinitely and will look as good decades later as it did new.
Silver-Plated
A base metal (usually brass or copper) coated with a thin layer of silver. The coating is typically 0.5–5 microns thick. Once the plating wears through — which can happen within months on high-contact areas like clasps and inner rings — the base metal is exposed and the piece can discolour permanently.
| Feature | 925 Sterling Silver | Silver-Plated |
|---|---|---|
| Silver content | 92.5% throughout | Thin surface layer only |
| Hallmarkable | Yes — UK assay offices test and mark | No — base metal disqualifies it |
| Longevity | Decades with normal care | Months to a few years |
| Tarnish behaviour | Surface tarnish, easily polished | Plating wears through, base metal exposed |
| Re-polishable | Yes, indefinitely | No — polishing removes more plating |
| Skin reaction risk | Low — silver is hypoallergenic | Higher once plating wears and base metal is exposed |
| Typical price | £30–£400+ depending on brand | £5–£40 |
The Test That Settles It
If a piece carries a UK assay hallmark with the 925 purity mark, it is solid sterling silver — the assay office has physically tested a sample. No plated piece can carry this mark. When in doubt, look for the anchor, castle, leopard’s head, or rose alongside the 925 stamp.
The Silver Jewellery Brands We Stock
We carry five sterling silver brands at OD’s Jewellers, each with a distinct design approach and customer. Here is what you need to know about each one.
ChloBo — Boho Stacking in 925 Silver
ChloBo was founded in 2008 by Chloe Moss and Bo Bowers — hence the name — and has built one of the most loyal followings in UK silver jewellery by doing one thing exceptionally well: stackable boho bracelets.
Every ChloBo piece is made from 925 sterling silver. The signature is the hand-finished ball-chain texture — smooth silver spheres threaded together to create a flexible, layerable band. Charms are attached as individual links within the chain, meaning you build your bracelet over time by adding meaningful pieces rather than buying a finished design.
ChloBo Key Facts
- Metal: 925 sterling silver throughout, UK hallmarked
- Signature style: Ball-chain texture, stackable charm bracelets
- Design philosophy: Boho, spiritual symbolism, nature motifs
- Typical price range: £35 (single charm) to £189 (stacking sets)
- Best for: Daily wear stackers, gift layering, spiritual jewellery buyers
- Collections to explore: Cube, Filigree, Bibi, Dancing Goddess
The ChloBo customer often starts with one bracelet and returns for more — the brand is deliberately designed for this. Charm bracelets from the Cube collection are the entry point; the more sculptural Filigree designs are for buyers who want something bolder. Stone-set pieces using rose quartz, labradorite, and moonstone add colour without leaving sterling silver.
All available in-store at 41 Barrow Street, St Helens, WA10 1RY — try before you buy.
Browse the full jewellery range at OD's.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best silver jewellery brand in the UK?
There is no single best — it depends on what you want. For stackable boho style, ChloBo is outstanding. For clean British minimalism, Kit Heath leads. For heritage and Welsh gold, Clogau is in a category of its own. For personalised gifting, Nomination’s Composable system is hard to beat. At OD’s Jewellers we stock all five and can help you choose in person at our St Helens store.
Is ChloBo real silver?
Yes. Every ChloBo piece is made from 925 sterling silver throughout. The ball-chain construction, the charms, and the settings are all genuine silver. ChloBo pieces carry the 925 hallmark and can be verified as real silver.
Does Clogau use real Welsh gold?
Yes. Clogau silver pieces are alloyed with a trace of genuine Welsh gold from the Clogau St David’s mine in North Wales — the same mine that has supplied gold for royal wedding rings since 1923. The Welsh gold is blended into the sterling silver alloy, giving Clogau pieces their distinctive warm tone and verifiable provenance.
Is Nomination sterling silver?
The Nomination Composable bracelet system uses 316L stainless steel for the structural base links and 925 sterling silver (or 9ct or 18ct gold) for the individual inserts. The silver inserts are individually stamped 925 and hallmarked. The steel links themselves are not silver, but the precious metal content comes from the inserts, which are real 925 silver.
How do I know if my silver jewellery is real?
Look for the 925 stamp (or .925, S925, or STG) and a UK assay office mark — an anchor (Birmingham), leopard’s head (London), castle (Edinburgh), or rose (Sheffield). If the piece is from OD’s, it is sourced directly from the brand and is genuine. A magnet test also helps: real silver is not magnetic. If a magnet sticks to it, it is not real silver.