Definitions for "Sterling silver"
Keywords:  silver, copper, alloy, pure, purity
An alloy of fine silver and copper. It consists of 925 parts fine silver and 75 parts copper per thousand parts. Fine silver (unalloyed silver), is the whitest and has the greatest luster of all metals. With a melting point of 1761 degrees Fahrenheit, silver is one of the most ductile and malleable metals, making it ideal for jewelry making. Because fine silver is so soft the copper must be added to increase its durability. Other metals can be used, but copper has been found to give the silver the necessary durability without affecting its ductility and malleability.
92.5% Silver. The balance is usually copper.
To qualify as "sterling" a given piece must be composed of at least 92.5% pure silver.
Keywords:  swarovski, pearls, crystals
Swarovski Crystals Swarovski Pearls