Sterling silver is a metal alloy composed of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper or zinc, and occasionally nickel. (Pure silver, or fine silver, is 99.9% pure elemental silver.) Sterling silver is more durable and less soft than pure silver, so it has a broader range of uses, such as different household items in addition to jewelry. It is also more affordable than pure silver. To know if an item is truly sterling silver, look for a stamped mark of “925”, “92.5”, “.925”, or ‘ss”.
