What is "sterling silver" and why is it better than regular pure silver?

Pure silver, without any other metal mixed in to form an alloy, is in fact too soft for good quality jewelry. Like gold, silver is an extraordinarily malleable metal which can lose its shape. Pure silver also tarnishes rather easily. This is why copper and nickel or zinc are typically mixed with silver. "Sterling silver" is a silver alloy that contains a little over 6-7% of copper and a tiny amount of zinc or nickel. It is technically 92.5% pure silver. Sterling silver is the standard when it comes to any kind of high-end jewelry. I f you are in the market for silver jewelry sterling silver is always recommended. You can be certain that you are buying sterling silver since in the US it is illegal to manufacture and sell sterling silver products without branding the item with a sterling silver quality mark as well as a makers mark or registered trademark. Always look for this mark whenever buying silver earings, silver necklaces, silver pendants, or any other silver jewelry.

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