925 Silver Jewellery

925 sterling silver

The 925 mark means sterling silver: an alloy of 92.5 percent silver with the balance made up of other metals. Pure silver is too soft to hold a shape in wear, so the alloy exists to give jewellery the durability it needs while keeping the metal's colour and lustre.

Sterling silver tarnishes on exposure to air. That is normal and reversible with appropriate cleaning, and is not a fault in the piece.

What to check

• The 925 mark — the standard indication of sterling.
• Weight — recorded on the listing where relevant.
• Condition — tarnish, scratching and any repair.
• Measurements — size and dimensions as listed.