Sterling silver mesh ring, bracelet and necklace

A popular trend in jewellery is the idea of joining strands or links of metal to give a mesh, before forming it into a ring, bracelet or necklace.  Items made from mesh have a lovely tactile quality and are usually very comfortable, and will impart a fresh, modern look to whatever else you're wearing.  The items featured in this hub are all made from sterling silver, and all are available to buy on Amazon.com.  Some of them are inspired by designers such as Tiffany, but they have a much smaller price tag!  And if you like the look of real gold but are on a budget, you can often buy them in gold vermeil (gold-plated silver) rather than plain silver.

Sterling silver mesh rings

The great thing about mesh rings is their flexibility - although you still need to buy the correct size, the band is non-rigid so they can easily be worn as thumb rings. If the band is really wide it's best to get a size bigger than you normally take although the mesh will "relax" slightly with wear, so do bear that in mind. Most of the silver mesh rings on Amazon are plain but you

can also buy silver mesh rings embellished with hearts, gems or letters of the alphabet!  Because of the highly textured surface, silver mesh jewellery is a bit harder to keep clean than other sterling silver items.  As for many situations in life, prevention is better than cure so I would recommend storing your silver mesh ring in a little plastic bag with an anti-tarnish strip.  

Sterling silver mesh necklaces and bracelets

If you're after a silver mesh necklace or bracelet rather than a ring, Amazon's also got plenty of choice.  Netaya's silver knot necklace is an unusual take on the mesh trend.  It's 17 inches long and weighs just under 18 grams.  And when it comes to bracelets, you've got a choice - either go for a conventional flexible bracelet with a clasp, or a cuff!  The cuffs tend to be chunkier and more substantial, which is reflected in the price.

Sterling silver Bismark bracelets and necklaces

One special type of "mesh" necklace or bracelet is the Bismark chain, which is made from rows of very small, flat links.  Bismark chains can range in width from a couple of millimetres to over 1 cm, depending on how many rows of links there are.  The overall effect is very smooth/slinky, and shinier than the Tiffany-style mesh items shown above.  Bismark chains are designed to be worn flat against the skin, and look best worn on their own rather than with charms or pendants.  It's recommended that you store them flat rather than bending them, to avoid any danger of "kinking".  If you have a Bismark necklace that's too long to lie in a straight line when stored, then try hanging it off a hook or placing it flat in a very loose spiral.  If you take these simple precautions, your Bismark jewellery will last many years.

© KitschKat January 2011