Sterling Silver (925)

92.5% pure silver alloyed with copper.

Core Principles & Analysis

• The 92.5% fineness standard dates to 12th-century England, where it was fixed for coinage and gave the pound sterling its name.
• The 7.5% copper addition roughly triples the hardness of pure silver, making rings and cutlery durable while staying workable.
• It tarnishes as surface silver reacts with atmospheric sulfur compounds; modern variants like Argentium add germanium to resist tarnish and firescale.

Specifications & Metrics

• DENSITY: 10.36 g/cm³
• YIELD STRENGTH: 140 MPa
• HARDNESS: 76 HV