What Is Sterling Silver?

If you love charm jewelry, then sooner or later you want to know exactly what is sterling silver? What is it made from?

Sterling silver is a silver alloy and is close to being pure silver. Pure silver is a very soft metal, far too soft to be used for jewelry, so sterling silver is the purest form of silver for your charm jewelry.

Pure silver is officially defined as being 99.9% pure silver. It is sometimes called fine silver.

Sterling silver is 92.5% silver and 7.5% another metal, often copper. This serves to harden the silver so that it can be shaped into charms and bracelets - otherwise it would be too soft to hold a shape. You will frequently see the expression 925 silver - this means it is sterling silver.

It is the presence of the other metal that makes sterling silver tarnish. Pure silver does not tarnish.

Sterling silver is an alloy so there is no plating to wear off.

Would you like to look at silver sterling charms or charm bracelets now?

Sterling silver marks

Sterling silver usually carries some sort of mark. This mark shows the precious metal content of the jewelry, and under federal law, must be accompanied by a maker's mark or registered trademark.

Common examples are: sterling, sterling silver, ster, and 925.

What is sterling silver made from?

It is an alloy composition of silver and another metal - usually copper. It is the purest form of silver that can practically be used in jewelry making.