Everything You Need to Know About 925 Sterling Silver

Many of us have encountered "925 sterling" when buying silver, but do we understand what it signifies? Some people might be familiar with its meaning due to their profession, education, previous silver purchases, or a general interest in such terminology. However, others may need to fully grasp the term's implications, although they likely associate it with silver jewelry.

This blog aims to briefly explain the meaning of 925 sterling silver, and share valuable ideas and tips. By understanding this, we can better appreciate the importance of knowing what we get when purchasing silver jewelry, such as necklaces, rings, or earrings. Let's dive into the details of sterling silver to get a deeper understanding.

What is 925 Sterling Silver?

The name "sterling" refers to the piece's level of purity, and the most prevalent composition in silver-grade products is 925. This indicates that the alliance (or alloy) is composed of 92.5% silver and 7.5% additional elements from the periodic table, primarily copper but also nickel and zinc. However, why copper? While other metals are occasionally added to complement the silver, copper has shown to be the most effective element in this combination, enhancing the piece's strength and longevity.

The fact that copper adds to the composition and resilience of silver without altering its original hue is another crucial factor in its use. It may have a slight negative impact on the piece's worth.

How to know if a piece of jewelry is 925 silver?

It is critical to understand whether the item we are purchasing is made of silver or not. Frequently, the product appears sufficiently polished and shiny at first glance to pass for genuine silver. Sadly, a piece can have less silver than expected, or worse, it could be constructed of a lower-quality metal that has been silver-plated. It can be challenging to determine precisely when we are buying for someone who is not in the transaction 925 silver unless someone looks closely at the pricing, and the stamp, or makes sure they purchase it from a reliable retailer. 

Here are a few pointers or methods to help you tell the difference between jewelry made of 925 silver and not. In this manner, you'll have a set of standards by which to distinguish it.

• The mark or stamp “925”

A mark or stamp bearing that number is typically present on jewelry that is manufactured of 925 silver. If you look closely, you can probably see that it has it. Silver 925. Note that this marking or stamp may not always be there; in particular, if the item is extremely small or delicate, it might not be pierced to guard against damage.

• The price of 925 silver

One more simple method to determine if a piece is. The piece is priced at 925 silver. Good and high-quality things are more expensive than low-quality ones, just like everything else in life. A lot of jewelry items have a similar appearance to silver, although they might just be plated with silver. A very low price for the jewel may be a good sign that it is not.

• Use a magnet to detect 925 silver

A fairly simple method of determining whether something is silver is to use a magnet. This precious metal either gives very little or no magnetism to the magnet. However, the magnet will stay affixed to the object if it is composed of other metals, as they will exhibit magnetism of their own. 

Applying a magnet to your parts is therefore a simple method. Since silver is mixed with other metals, there may be some magnetism when a magnet is running over it, but the piece should slide down when it is tilted and the magnet shouldn't stay completely stuck.