The Definitive Guide to Sterling Silver

Surprisingly, no. Silver sits between copper and gold in the Periodic Table of Elements because its character and chemical composition is similar to both.

Silver’s reflectiveness, malleability (ability to be shaped) and ductility (ability to draw it out into a wire or thread without breaking) make it perfect for forming into jewellery. However, just like pure gold, pure silver is considered too soft for jewellery as pieces can scratch, bend and dent with daily wear.

It’s actually amazingly strong, thanks to the little addition of another natural element. It’s time to introduce you to the beauty of sterling silver and help you understand the silver vs sterling silver difference.

Sterling silver is an alloy of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals (usually copper), which adds strength without detracting from silver’s naturally spectacular shine and colour.

Sterling silver has been the silver of choice for jewellers and silversmiths for centuries because it’s more durable than pure silver and beautiful to work with.

So if you’ve ever wondered what is better, 925 silver or sterling silver – they’re the same! ‘925’ is the authentication hallmark many jewellers stamp onto their designs to certify the silver is sterling silver of 92.5% purity.

Wondering is sterling silver real silver? You’re not alone, and we’re happy to confirm it’s real! Silver is graded based on its fineness – to help you understand the difference between fine silver and sterling silver and the purity of sterling silver, we’ve put together a helpful Silver Grades Chart below.

There are many theories surrounding the origin of the word sterling. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, sterling is thought to have originated from the Old English word steorling, meaning coin with a star, because of the stars seen on some Norman pennies.

Many associate the name sterling with the British currency for a good reason. In Anglo-Saxon times, one pound (weight) of silver was formed into 240 pennies. Each penny was made up of 925 parts silver and 75 parts copper. It was thought that Edward I established the term sterling silver as the minimum standard for English silver coinage. To prevent fraud, he sent Guardians of the Craft to shops to test their metals’ ingredients (known as assaying) and check they were using the 925 sterling silver standard (92% pure silver).

Sterling silver is real silver and precious! But how do you know your jewellery is sterling silver and not an imitation? The easiest way to tell is to examine your jewellery for a stamp known as a hallmark (see our Silver Grades Chart for a list of sterling silver hallmarks). These stamps indicate purity, and you’ll generally find them on the inside of rings, near bracelet and necklace clasps or on the back of your earrings. The ‘925’ sterling silver hallmark is one of the most used and recognised as it represents the 92.5% pure silver content.

So now you know! If you’ve seen the hallmark on our NAJO pieces and wondered: Does 925 mean sterling silver? And is 925 sterling silver real silver? The answers are yes, and yes! All our NAJO jewellery designs feature the ‘925’ hallmark. In Australia, hallmarking is not required, but we believe it’s best practice to celebrate and certify the high quality and purity of our real sterling silver.

In some cases, jewellers retail their designs as ‘silver’ without hallmarks, making it difficult to know whether the piece you’re purchasing is fake sterling silver, silver plated, or whether there’s any real silver in the piece at all. This wikiHow article has some practical tests to confirm your silver is real silver!

Contrary to what you might think, just under a third of silver mined is elemental native silver. That’s because silver is present in many naturally occurring ores such as copper, lead and zinc. Most silver we see today is recovered and recycled from residues when refining these other metals. Silver is also recycled from jewellery, silverware and electronic scrap, which closes the loop and creates a sustainable supply.

To uphold our ethos of slow jewellery for sustainable beauty, we craft most of our jewellery using recycled sterling silver sourced from Umicore, a company dedicated to circular materials technology and sustainable value creation.

Have you noticed that some jewellery descriptions say sterling silver while others say solid sterling silver? So which is better, sterling silver or solid silver? Quite simply, they’re both exquisite.

Solid sterling silver jewellery pieces tend to cost more as they use more sterling silver by weight. However, some jewellery designs can be formed using hollowed sterling silver tubing, for example. This tubing enables jewellery designers and silversmiths to craft lighter-weight pieces that are more comfortable to wear for longer.

Some of NAJO’s most iconic collectable designs are handcrafted from solid sterling silver, including the Spratling Bracelet, Awaken Ring and Garden of Eden Bangle.

Jo Tory, our Creative Director, also loves crafting pieces from sterling silver tubing because they’re more affordable without compromising quality and beauty (as they don’t use so much real sterling silver by weight). These lighter pieces are especially perfect for brides looking for ultra-comfortable minimalist designs with maximum impact.

Is sterling silver good jewellery silver? It’s the best. Unlike other ‘silver-coloured’ metals, non-sterling silver or silver-coated brass, NAJO’s collection of sterling silver jewellery is durable, highly polished, relatively lightweight and easy to wear. It’s also much brighter and whiter than other precious metals such as platinum or gold.

Since 1986, we’ve been designing and handcrafting sterling silver bangles, rings, necklaces and earrings for individuals who want to express themselves while staying true to their personalities. Sterling silver is our luxurious metal of choice for rich storytelling.