What are the differences between pewter and silver?
Appearance
Unlike silver, pewter doesn’t tarnish. Instead, over time, pewter develops a soft patina that adds depth and character. One vase above is new — the other is over 25 years old and has never been polished. While some may prefer to maintain their pewter’s original luster with occasional polishing, others choose the handsome benefits of benign neglect. There is no right or wrong; it’s a matter of preference. Each is beautiful in it’s own way.
Composition
Pewter has been used for over 3,500 years to make useful objects. One of the earliest examples was found in an Egyptian tomb dating to 1450 BC. The pewter used to make all of MATCH designs is a food safe, lead-free alloy of 95 percent of the highest quality tin, with the remaining 5 percent comprised of copper and antimony. This unusually high percentage of tin (the fourth most expensive metal in the world, after platinum, gold and silver) creates a product of exceptional quality, that can be seen in the luster of the finish and the weight of each piece.
Care
Pewter requires almost no maintenance. Should you choose to clean your pewter, hand wash in warm water with a liquid dish soap. Be sure to dry the pewter completely, as water allowed to dry on pewter may cause spots. Any spots that appear can be easily removed by polishing or by gently rubbing the area in small circular motions with very fine “0000” steel wool. Full pewter care instructions.
