Sterling silver - what is it?
We love silver jewellery. It can be worn in many occasions, it’s easy to combine with whatever outfit you have planned for the day, and it has a timeless “je ne sais quoi”. But if you find it difficult to understand the difference between fine silver, sterling silver and sliver 925, here is a quick explanation of the differences between them all.
Love, Nena Jewellery is made out of 100 percent certified sterling silver.
Fine silver, for example 99.9% pure silver, is relatively soft and it’s not a strong metal on its own, so silver is usually alloyed with copper to increase its hardness and strength. The fineness of a precious metal object represents the weight of that fine metal, in proportion to the total weight which includes alloying base metals and any impurities. Alloy metals are added to increase hardness and durability in jewellery and alter colours. For example, copper is added to the precious metal silver to make a more durable alloy for its use in jewellery.
Sterling silver is an alloy made from 92.5% silver and 7.5% alloy. An alloy is essentially the mixture of two (or more) elements taken from the periodic table. Regarding sterling silver, the alloys can include zinc, copper or nickel. Europe and most of the world enforces a strict standard of sterling silver at 92.5 silver to 7.5 copper or other alloys.
This brings us to the fact that Silver 925 is the same as Sterling silver, just a different way of calling it. They are both made from the same blend that originates from the 92.5 with 7.5 proportions.
Whenever you buy silver make sure it is indeed Sterling silver (or Silver 925) since any other blends can cause irritation to the skin. The wonderful thing about Sterling silver is that it is hypoallergenic and very safe for your skin.
For our Love, Nena Jewellery we use responsible Sterling silver that comes from certified suppliers. Half of the Sterling silver we use is actually recycled silver, which means no new resources are consumed in the making of our handmade collection.
Love,
Nena