925 Sterling Silver

Silver is hallmarked at 800 and 925 purities. There are also higher purities, not suitable for making jewellery, as it is too soft. The most common purity is 925, and this is known as sterling silver. It's 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper and other metals. Silver is a less expensive metal and hallmarks are required at 7.88 grams. As a rough guide, most earrings, small rings and finer chain necklaces and chain bracelets will be under the legal limit for hallmarking.

925 silver is therefore a combination of mostly pure silver and a lower percentage of infused alloy metal. The addition of copper, or occasionally a similar copper-like substitute, helps to enhance your silver jewellery and does not in any way detract from its quality.

The name of sterling silver comes from the Easterling area of Germany where the original silver craftsmen developed the sterling silver alloy. It is also called 925 and usually people look for the hallmark 925 to mean the 92.5% purity of silver for the items or jewellery.

Remember that the 925 hallmark is an assurance to you that your silver is of the highest quality.

* All Gems4ever Urn Pendants are 925 stamped.