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Everyone eventually reaches a time in their life where they are ready to consider investing in a high end set of flatware. Entering the marketplace for this reason can become overwhelming as you see the many sets and brands of flatware that are available to you. Each one has its one qualities and desisign features that may stand out to you, however, one design that stands out far above the rest is Oneida’s Othenia pattern.

Each of Oneida’s brands take inspiration from many places throughout the world. Othenia takes its inspiration from the hand carved furniture of Scandinavia. However, do not let this fact fool you into thinking that Othenia is old looking or overly ornate. Othenia strikes a perfect unity between the old styles of the past and a new contemporary clean design that will compliment even the most modern of table setting.

Othenia is part of the many lines of flatware from the historic Oneida Ltd. Oneida has a history of top of the line craftsmanship in stainless steel silverware for over one hundred years. Oneida is considered the number one brand of silverware in the nation and has not only the top design in the industry but the top five designs. But how does the Othenia line stack up to its competitors?

One such competitor is the flatware maker Gorham. Gorham has been in production longer, and is also similarly priced to Othenia, but it is also known for having a more traditional design. Othenia offers a more modern touch and takes its modern sense to its business practices as well by offering an open stock policy. This policy allows you to order single pieces of replacement flatware if part of your set gets misplaced or stolen. If this were to happen with your Gorham flatware you would have to buy an entire new set.

Another brand to consider is the Towle brand. Towle has been on the market for over three hundred years, and though their style does not portray that ancient style, it still has much more traditional style elements than the Othenia brand. Not only that, but it also does not offer a “pattern for a lifetime” guarantee. This guarantee provided to all Oneida lines assures you that even if your pattern is discontinued you can still order replacement pieces if they happen to get lost or stolen.

Heritage may be another brand to consider in your search for flatware. Heritage will be your closest comparison style wise with modern curves and high end finishes, but like the other brands that have been discussed, Heritage does not offer any protection if part of your set becomes lost or stolen. This is just a reminder that there are many products on the market that have very similar styles, but not all products are created equal, even if they may look it.

If you still want to compare flatware but want the security of the guarantees that the Oneida line provides, consider looking at similar brands within Oneida such as Aquarius. This line has a contemporary smooth looks and comes with the same promise that if parts of your collection is lost or stolen you will be able to replace one of them, or all of them, regardless of how long it has been since you bought your original set.

There are so many options available to you in the flatware market today that it would take an entire book to compare them all. That is why it is incredibly important to research not only the style, but the quality and promises that go along with the brand that you are considering purchasing.

Buying high quality stainless or sterling silver flatware is not a cheap investment. This is why it can become an overwhelming process. However, as long as you look at all your options you will soon be enjoying a beautiful piece of history that will greatly increase the value of your home dining decor.