Facts about sterling silver
Pure silver is too soft to be used for articles that are subject to heavy wear or usage.
For 5000 years, copper has been added to pure silver to impart hardness and durability, making this precious metal suitable for a wide range of uses.
An alloy containing 92.5% silver with 7.5% copper was used to set the standard for English currency during the 12th Century - this became known as "sterling silver".
A silver alloy can be classed as sterling quality so long as it contains at least 92.5% silver. The remainder of the alloy can be made up of any other element or combination of elements.
Tarnish and firescale are undesirable properties that have plagued sterling silver for thousands of years.