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Sterling silver
is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5%
other metals, usually copper. The minimum millesimal fineness is
925.
Pair of Sterling Silver forks
Pair of Sterling Silver forks
Fine silver (99.9% pure) is generally too soft for producing
large functional objects, and in Sterling the silver is usually
alloyed with copper to give strength whilst preserving the
ductility of the silver and a high precious metal content. Other
metals can replace the copper, usually with the intent to
improve various properties of the basic sterling alloy such as
reducing casting porosity, eliminating firescale, and increasing
resistance to tarnish. These replacement metals include
germanium, zinc, platinum as well as a variety of other
additives including silicon and boron. A number of alloys
claiming firescale and/or tarnish resistance have appeared in
recent years sparking heavy competition between the various
manufacturers and their different formulations. No one alloy has
emerged as an industry leader or standard and ongoing alloy
development is a very active area. |
