Wallace 45pc Flatware Set

First, I should say we wanted to get a complete set of flatware for our anniversary. So we looked around, 10-12 stores at least. Macy's and similar, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl's etc. Not looking to spend $10k on real silver-ware but we can afford more than $30 at W-mart. We spent about 4 weeks before choosing this set (x2). So this was a serious choice we put some effort into. We wanted a whole matching set to keep for many years. So early on we found we had to try and see if there was still a reputable manufacturer that didn't just ship junk in from overseas. The problem seems to be so many sets made overseas have started having quality issues in the last 5-10 years. It seems all brands that were originally manufactured in the US/Europe are made in Asia to varying standards. I am sure cost-cutting is a big problem for many companies, it's not just this category item. I saw people reported online getting the same setup from the same company a few years apart and they got very different results. Many buyers left reviews about rust and other problems on most sets we looked at in the stores. We expect for $60-100 a set of "stainless steel" flatware they they are not going to start rusting in 3-6 months. We had gotten some (cheap) pairing knives, 100% stainless (blade and handle) and seen rust spots after a few months - I said maybe that is okay for a pairing knife but it would be unacceptable for our regular silverware. The other problem was finding something we could both agree on. We saw two sets of the hammered style, and we both liked those well enough. BB&Beyond has pieces out where you can handle them. The feel in the hand is important. I liked one hammered set as the pieces were heavier and comfortable. Reviews on the store set were mixed however, with rusting on the two-piece knives an issue apparently. The sets we looked had review that were only 50-60% positive. So we had a style, we just had to find the best maker. Wallace looks like a higher-end manufacturer, part of a family of flatware companies. The top-level Wallace items are $10,000+ silver sets online if you want to look- so I was reassured this wasn't a cheap company that has just popped up or is a "store brand" that changes factories every year. So that matched our desire to avoid a low quality company. Macy's website had this set (with some good pictures) but the 2-3 Macy's we checked locally did not have Continental Hammer. We did get to look at other Wallace sets, and they looked quite nice. We ordered 2 sets of 8. Several pieces were slightly scratched or scuffed, only one really badly enough to worry about. The hammered effect is well done, better than others we saw in stores. The handle is flat (not shiny) and the 'business-end' is highly chromed and very shiny. We think the pieces are very nice looking. We find the handles comfortable enough to hold and use- with a narrow neck and wide tail. The other reviews online for this set had some comments that I noticed, and I can confirm them as issues for us as well. First, the flatware is all printed (not stamped or indented) with Wallace, China, 'c' and 'r' marks in black "ink". On the forks and spoons it is on the back side (no big deal). On the knives it is on one side, mid-way on the blade. Quite noticeable and detracting from the appearance. It looks tacky and cheap. I tell myself it may be better then imprinted/indented which possibly harbors bacteria long term. It's only a minor annoyance for me. Second, the handles are thin, not as thick as other hammered styles we saw. This makes these pieces somewhat lighter. This was a slight disappointment, since there was no way to judge weight from looking at it online. We decided we could live with it. A full set of 5 (large and small spoons and forks, and one knife) weigh in at 9.7 oz on my postal scale. The knife has a nice, thick rounded hollow handle and is a single cast piece (no seams to rust). Third, if you are not sure what the "Continental" part of the name is- well, it's not just a flowery adjective. It means "European size" and by that I mean REALLY LARGE on the large items. NOT standard size, which may take a little getting used to or may make this more appealing to some buyers. I have seen these sizes in Europe too, so it's not a made up term. Some people might say ridiculously large, though. I will upload a photo with a penny in the large spoon. It's not a problem for us, but it could be for some folks. The wife and daughter only use the small spoons, but that was true when we previously had "normal size" flatware. The old standard spoons setting inside these Continental ones showed 10-20% more "spoon surface area". Fourth, and most importantly is durability of the finish, or lack of it. Within a month we can see minor scratches and scuffs turning up on some pieces. These are easy to see because the surface it so shiny, these are not marks you would otherwise notice on flat/matte surfaces. Like a little watermark smudge you can't wipe off. We think that at this rate after a few years all the pieces will be scratched and scuffed to the point that we may have to consider replacing them. Most likely they will still be functional, but less attractive. We will see, I may come back and update the comment after 6 months. I think the "instructions" that came with the set mentioned placing them carefully in the dishwasher to they were not scratched. Our dishwasher has a cover kind of thing over the flatware compartment- sort of like a loose peg-board arrangement of slots where you drop each piece in and it is held apart from the other pieces. I guess it's possible in theory the dishwasher is blasting the water so hard the flatware is banging around the getting scratched against each other. However, as the pieces are not changing their orientation and we can't hear any clinking (from an ultra-quiet washer) I kind of doubt it. However we may try and isolate pieces to see if it helps any. Other buyers complained online of the same and I wondered if they were being super-picky. It appears not. No small children, we are not being rough on the pieces, just what I would consider normal use. The chrome finish looks nice when it is clean- so I AM being picky in wanting to take a microfiber cloth and wiping these off after they come out of the washer. Just so there are no streaks or water smudges on them. Mostly on the knives. It takes a few moments, but I only mention it as I can guess some people might be put off by the appearance of the watermarks. (and yes, perfectly clean cloth- I am sure I'm not introducing those scratches I mentioned). ;) Overall, I will rate these a 4. I want to say 3 to mark down for the minor issues- but if I am honest in comparing them to the other hammered sets we looked closely at the Wallace set is still much better. Some room for improvement in the weight and finish durability perhaps, but we are happy with our selection.