| A great deal of silver jewellery available today is | | | | copper. Sometimes the craftsman replaces |
| called 925 silver. Have you ever wandered why | | | | copper with another material, or even a |
| we in the jewellery trade add the number 925 in | | | | combination of materials. Over the last decade |
| front of sterling silver? Before you part with your | | | | lower copper prices and an abundance of copper |
| hard-earned money buying jewellery for yourself, | | | | due to improved refining techniques have made it |
| or as a gift for someone else, it is worth finding | | | | the first choice of many designers and jewellery |
| out what exactly 925 silver is. Furthermore, it is | | | | stylists. |
| important to understand why you must always | | | | The beneficial properties gained by adding the |
| insist that your silver jewellery is up to the high | | | | copper to the pure silver have made the resulting |
| 925 standard. | | | | product extremely popular with a host of silver |
| Before we look at what 925 silver is, we must | | | | craftsmen. Earrings, rings, bracelets and all other |
| first consider the properties of this fascinating | | | | forms of jewellery can be carefully designed with |
| metal. Pure silver is extremely malleable and | | | | the assurance that each intricate bend and turn |
| therefore can easily damage. It also softens over | | | | will remain firmly in place. |
| time, even at room temperature. | | | | 925 silver is therefore a combination of mostly |
| Obviously, in this state silver is useless for | | | | pure silver and a lower percentage of infused alloy |
| jewellery purposes. To avoid the problems of | | | | metal. The addition of copper, or occasionally a |
| malleability and softening, and thus to increase the | | | | similar copper-like substitute, helps to enhance |
| life-span of your silver jewellery, other metals are | | | | your silver jewellery and does not in any way |
| added to the pure silver. The result of this | | | | detract from its quality. |
| blending process with alloys is a combined silver | | | | It is important to check that your silver jewellery |
| and alloy substance which is far more resistant to | | | | is high quality 925 sterling silver before making a |
| scratching and damage. | | | | purchase. Remember that in many countries the |
| 925 sterling silver jewellery is actually a | | | | 925 hallmark is an assurance to you that your |
| combination of 92.5% silver and usually 7.5% | | | | silver is of the highest quality. |