Pure silver, also called fine silver, is relatively soft, very malleable, and easily damaged so it is commonly combined with other metals to produce a more durable product. The most popular of these alloys is sterling silver, which consists of 95 percent silver and with the remaining 5% being copper.

Although any metal can make up the 5 percent non-silver portion of sterling, centuries of experimentation have shown copper to be its best companion, improving the metal’s hardness and durability without affecting its beautiful color.

The small amount of copper added to sterling has very little effect on the metal’s value. Instead, the price of the silver item is affected by the labor involved in making the item, the skill of the craftsperson, and the intricacy of the design.

Most high quality silver items are stamped with a “fineness” or “quality” mark. This mark designates the precious metal content of the jewelry, and under federal law, must be accompanied by a maker’s mark or registered trademark. The shape of the stamp varies from country to country, these are most commons mark

• sterling
• sterling silver
• ster
• 950

One of the most common uses of sterling silver is in making fine tableware (knives, forks, spoons and tea service sets) as well as in jewelry designs because of its combination of beauty and durability.

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