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Flatware for Special Occasions
There are all sorts of great options available today when it comes to purchasing flatware for special occasions. While once silver, or silverplated flatware were considered the ideal choices, today there are plenty of fine and elegant stainless steel options too. Some of the companies that produce these upper class lines of cutlery include Waterford, Lenox, Couzan, Gorham, Wedgewood and Ricci. To read up more on purchasing your set of stainless steel flatware - see "everyday flatware".
Silver Flatware
Sterling silver flatware has been around for hundreds of years, providing its users with a combination of function and elegance. The great royal courts of England, France, Austria and Spain have all dined on the finest of silver place settings. The southern aristocracy have feasted upon rich luminous sets of silver for centuries, passing down these precious heirlooms from generation to generation. Collectors travel the world seeking out that precise piece of of silver that will complete their personal flatware collection. The question that arises is -
What exactly is the lure behind it all?
I suppose the secret lies somewhere in the unequaled aura of grandeur silver flatware instantly imputes to any meal with its use. Or perhaps it's in the lustrous soft white glow extracted from the metal's surface with the required amount of attention and care. Or maybe the secret is captured in the unlimited number of intricate, interwoven designs available, thanks to the malleability of this marvelous metal. Either way, silver flatware is by no means a passing trend. It has long since been in demand, and silver flatware will always posses inherent value thanks to the precious metal from which it is created.
Silverplated Flatware
The creation of silverplated flatware is a far more recent development. It appeared only in the 1850's with the rise of the middle class and the demand for a more affordable but festive flatware option. It was primarily due to this social impetus that silverplated flatware was invented.
The silverplated flatware we use today begins with a base of either brass, nickel or stainless steel. A layer of pure 100% silver is then bonded on top. This revolutionary process offers the beauty and elegance of fine silverware at a more affordable rate than its sterling silver counterpart.
Silver or Silverplated?
Each of these two flatware option have both their pros and their cons. You will have to make the decision regarding which one to purchase based on your personal needs. Below I have constructed a general comparison of the two choices, in order to help you make a more educated decision:
Price: Clearly, the sterling silver option is the more expensive of the two. Depending on the current market rate of silver, your average five piece sterling silver place setting will cost about $400 - $500. Your average five piece set of silverplated cutlery will cost about $200 - $300. While this may seem like quite a large sum of money to spend on flatware, keep in mind that because these items are made from a precious metal, they have inherent value and can always be resold, or passed down as heirlooms from generation to generation. Remember that it's not just a fork you're buying, it's a piece of precious metal.
Durability: Both silver and silverplated cutlery require extra care when dealing with them due to the delicacy of this metal. However, if cared for properly, your cutlery will be available for use for centuries to come. Because silverplated flatware is made with an outer layer of 100% silver (as opposed to sterling silver, which is composed of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper) these flatware are more soft, fragile and prone to scratches and damage.
Difficulty to Clean: Both silver and silverplated cutlery may be placed in the dishwasher, however the cycle should be stopped before drying and the cutlery should then be removed and hand dried with a soft flannel cloth (see Caring for Your Silver... for more tips on how to care for your silverware).
Replacement Availability: Because silver is so expensive, it is sold by the individual pieces (as well as by the place setting and set) and you therefore should not have any problems replacing that damaged spoon or adding on that extra set of coveted ice cream forks. Furthermore, because it is a collector's item, even if the line is no longer being manufactured, chances are you can find replacement pieces available for purchase online.
Design: Both types of flatware have beautiful sophisticated designs available for purchase, however silverplated flatware, due to the increased malleability of its outer layer, comes with the possibility of purchasing even more intricate designs than its sterling silver counterpart.
Choosing the Size
Fine silverware is available in three different sizes; Place size, Dinner size and Continental size. Place size is the smallest, it's traditionally used in most American homes. Dinner Size has a dinner knife and dinner fork which are a half inch longer than the ones found in Place size. Continental size has just about all of its pieces larger than Place size, as you can see based on the measurements recorded below. Continental size is typically used in Europe, however it has recently been gaining popularity in America too.
The following measurements have been recorded in inches:
Most silverware sets being sold in the U.S.are available for purchase either in Place size or in Dinner size. Some sets are available in Continental size.
Place Settings
There are three different types of place settings, the American, the European, and the English. An American place setting has five utensils, including a dinner fork,a salad fork, a dinner knife, a soup spoon and a teaspoon. A European place setting has six utensils, including those which are found in the American setting as well as a butter knife. An English place setting has seven utensils including those which are found in the European setting as well as a dessert spoon.
When purchasing your set of sterling silver or silverplated flatware, you typically will have the option of purchasing by the individual piece, purchasing a five piece place setting, a set service for four diners, a set of service for eight diners, or a set of service for twelve diners.
Should you wish to have European or English place settings, you will probably need to supplement your set with extra individual butter knives and dessert spoons, as just about all sets sold in America are sold based on a five piece place setting.
The advantage of purchasing a large set, is that it will often include the addition of a wooden case for storage as well as various serving pieces. The large sets are also more economical than if you were to purchase all the pieces individually, provided that you actually have a need for all the pieces included in the set. If this is not the case however, you may just find it cheaper to purchase multiple sets of service for four, supplemented by the various serving pieces you require.
Often you will find you have the option of purchasing a "hostess set," a variety of basic serving pieces at a cheaper price then were you to purchase them all individually. The hostess set is great both for people who buy individual place settings and for people who wish to supplement the serving pieces that came with their set.
In addition to the basics you may find in a hostess set, some of the many, many supplemental options available for purchase include (but are not limited too):
Next: Glassware Buying Guide
Previous: Flatware Buying Guide
Silver Flatware
Sterling silver flatware has been around for hundreds of years, providing its users with a combination of function and elegance. The great royal courts of England, France, Austria and Spain have all dined on the finest of silver place settings. The southern aristocracy have feasted upon rich luminous sets of silver for centuries, passing down these precious heirlooms from generation to generation. Collectors travel the world seeking out that precise piece of of silver that will complete their personal flatware collection. The question that arises is -
What exactly is the lure behind it all?
I suppose the secret lies somewhere in the unequaled aura of grandeur silver flatware instantly imputes to any meal with its use. Or perhaps it's in the lustrous soft white glow extracted from the metal's surface with the required amount of attention and care. Or maybe the secret is captured in the unlimited number of intricate, interwoven designs available, thanks to the malleability of this marvelous metal. Either way, silver flatware is by no means a passing trend. It has long since been in demand, and silver flatware will always posses inherent value thanks to the precious metal from which it is created.
Silverplated Flatware
The creation of silverplated flatware is a far more recent development. It appeared only in the 1850's with the rise of the middle class and the demand for a more affordable but festive flatware option. It was primarily due to this social impetus that silverplated flatware was invented.
The silverplated flatware we use today begins with a base of either brass, nickel or stainless steel. A layer of pure 100% silver is then bonded on top. This revolutionary process offers the beauty and elegance of fine silverware at a more affordable rate than its sterling silver counterpart.
Silver or Silverplated?
Each of these two flatware option have both their pros and their cons. You will have to make the decision regarding which one to purchase based on your personal needs. Below I have constructed a general comparison of the two choices, in order to help you make a more educated decision:
Price: Clearly, the sterling silver option is the more expensive of the two. Depending on the current market rate of silver, your average five piece sterling silver place setting will cost about $400 - $500. Your average five piece set of silverplated cutlery will cost about $200 - $300. While this may seem like quite a large sum of money to spend on flatware, keep in mind that because these items are made from a precious metal, they have inherent value and can always be resold, or passed down as heirlooms from generation to generation. Remember that it's not just a fork you're buying, it's a piece of precious metal.
Durability: Both silver and silverplated cutlery require extra care when dealing with them due to the delicacy of this metal. However, if cared for properly, your cutlery will be available for use for centuries to come. Because silverplated flatware is made with an outer layer of 100% silver (as opposed to sterling silver, which is composed of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper) these flatware are more soft, fragile and prone to scratches and damage.
Difficulty to Clean: Both silver and silverplated cutlery may be placed in the dishwasher, however the cycle should be stopped before drying and the cutlery should then be removed and hand dried with a soft flannel cloth (see Caring for Your Silver... for more tips on how to care for your silverware).
Replacement Availability: Because silver is so expensive, it is sold by the individual pieces (as well as by the place setting and set) and you therefore should not have any problems replacing that damaged spoon or adding on that extra set of coveted ice cream forks. Furthermore, because it is a collector's item, even if the line is no longer being manufactured, chances are you can find replacement pieces available for purchase online.
Design: Both types of flatware have beautiful sophisticated designs available for purchase, however silverplated flatware, due to the increased malleability of its outer layer, comes with the possibility of purchasing even more intricate designs than its sterling silver counterpart.
Choosing the Size
Fine silverware is available in three different sizes; Place size, Dinner size and Continental size. Place size is the smallest, it's traditionally used in most American homes. Dinner Size has a dinner knife and dinner fork which are a half inch longer than the ones found in Place size. Continental size has just about all of its pieces larger than Place size, as you can see based on the measurements recorded below. Continental size is typically used in Europe, however it has recently been gaining popularity in America too.
The following measurements have been recorded in inches:
|
Place Size
|
Dinner Size
|
Continental Size
|
|
| Big Knife |
9
|
9.75
|
10.5
|
| Big Fork |
7.5
|
8
|
8.5
|
| Little Fork |
6.5
|
6.5
|
6.5
|
| Big Spoon |
7
|
7
|
7.32
|
| Little Spoon |
6.25
|
6.25
|
6.25
|
Most silverware sets being sold in the U.S.are available for purchase either in Place size or in Dinner size. Some sets are available in Continental size.
Place Settings
There are three different types of place settings, the American, the European, and the English. An American place setting has five utensils, including a dinner fork,a salad fork, a dinner knife, a soup spoon and a teaspoon. A European place setting has six utensils, including those which are found in the American setting as well as a butter knife. An English place setting has seven utensils including those which are found in the European setting as well as a dessert spoon.
When purchasing your set of sterling silver or silverplated flatware, you typically will have the option of purchasing by the individual piece, purchasing a five piece place setting, a set service for four diners, a set of service for eight diners, or a set of service for twelve diners.
Should you wish to have European or English place settings, you will probably need to supplement your set with extra individual butter knives and dessert spoons, as just about all sets sold in America are sold based on a five piece place setting.
The advantage of purchasing a large set, is that it will often include the addition of a wooden case for storage as well as various serving pieces. The large sets are also more economical than if you were to purchase all the pieces individually, provided that you actually have a need for all the pieces included in the set. If this is not the case however, you may just find it cheaper to purchase multiple sets of service for four, supplemented by the various serving pieces you require.
Often you will find you have the option of purchasing a "hostess set," a variety of basic serving pieces at a cheaper price then were you to purchase them all individually. The hostess set is great both for people who buy individual place settings and for people who wish to supplement the serving pieces that came with their set.
In addition to the basics you may find in a hostess set, some of the many, many supplemental options available for purchase include (but are not limited too):
| fish forks | oyster forks | cheese server |
| fruit spoons | quiche server | cracker scoop |
| pasta server | salt spoons | pickle fork |
| ice cream scooper | ice cream spoons | ice cream forks |
| asparagus tongs | corn on the cob butterers | lemon fork |
| butter knives | gravy ladle | bon bon server |
| buffet spoon | cream soup spoon | berry spoon |
| ice tongs | strawberry fork | carving set |
| punch ladle | ice tongs | sugar tongs |
| steak knives | fish serving set | lasagna server |
Next: Glassware Buying Guide
Previous: Flatware Buying Guide
