Fine .999 Silber & Sterling .925 Silber
1. Fine .999 Silber
Fine silver is the closest metal to the pure element silver. It is marked .999 which indicates 99.9% purity. Der 0.1% remainder consists of trace elements of insignificant quantity. Fine silver has a more vitreous luster than the bright polish of sterling. It appears grayer and slightly dull. This type of silver is quite soft and will scratch, dent and change shape fairly easily. For that reason, it is less common in jewelry because items will not wear well over time.
Jedoch, there are benefits to fine silver. It is easy to form, it fuses without solder and it is highly resistant to tarnish. Fine silver is best for earrings or necklaces instead of rings or bracelets that are bumped and scratched more frequently because it is such a soft metal. Silver clay products reduce to fine silver and have increased the demand for pure silver jewelry in the US market. Hill Tribe silver is often .999 as well. The most common quality stamp on this metal is .999 FS or just .999.
2. Sterling .925 Silber
Sterling is the jewelry quality standard in the United States and most world markets. It is an alloy of 92.5% Silber. The remaining 7.5% is usually copper though it is sometimes other metals such as nickel. The other metals in the alloy increase hardness so the material will be more durable. Alloy additions also create the color and luster that is so prized by consumers. Sterling silver is the silver color we are most familiar with and the most common type of silver in US jewelry stores. It is very bright and shiny but it will tarnish. Tarnish is easy to clean with readily available polishing products. Sterling silver is harder than fine silver but it is still soft compared to other metals. Fine sterling silver chain and thin metals can be stretched or “drawn” under tension. And jewelry will be scratched or dented if it is banged around. Sterling can be soldered, formed and annealed repeatedly. The most common quality stamps are .925 and Stg. Halstead is a market leader in sterling silver jewelry supplies.