Silver possesses working qualities similar to gold but can achieve the most brilliant polish of any metal. To make it durable for jewellery, however, pure silver (999 fineness) is often alloyed with small quantities of copper. In many countries, Sterling Silver (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper) is the standard for Jewellery and has been since the 14th century. The copper toughens the silver and makes it possible to use silver 925 for decorative and fashionable jewellery.

Although any metal can make up the 7.5 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 colour.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 labour involved in making the item, the skill of the craftsperson, and the intricacy of the design.

Quality
To be assured you're buying the real thing, always look for the stamp, "925.". Most high quality silver items are stamped with a "fineness" or "quality" mark, this mark designates the precious metal content of the jewellery. This is the only way you can be sure that what you are purchasing is genuine silver.. Acceptable hallmarks for sterling silver are:

• sterling
• sterling silver
• stg
• .925

Care
With today's anti-tarnishing processes, as well as easy cleaning techniques, caring for sterling silver jewelry is simpler than ever. Add to this silver's value, durability, fashionability and consistent quality, and it is no wonder that it has retained its popularity over time With proper care, your fine quality silver will last a lifetime. To minimise scratches and other damage, store your silver jewellery either in a cloth pouch or in a separate compartment in your jewellery box. Avoid exposing your silver to household chemicals when cleaning with bleach or ammonia, or when swimming in chlorinated water, as these chemicals can damage silver.

Care should also be taken to prevent silver tarnish build-up, a dulling that naturally occurs when silver reacts with sulphur or hydrogen sulphide in the ambient air. To clean your silver, use polishes formulated specifically to remove tarnish. You can find fine silver polishes, solutions, or cloths appropriate to remove tarnish at most hardware stores or speciality craft stores. Tarnish is most easily removed when it first becomes visible.

Although wearing your silver jewellery often is the best way to prevent tarnish from building up, regular cleanings of all your silver items will prevent tarnish and keep your silver bright and sparkling. Do not use silver dip. This is detrimental to your jewellery in the long term.

Avoid wearing your silver jewellery in chlorine based swimming pools or in thermal hot pools as the silver will quicky turn black and require cleaning

Christies will clean your silver jewellery instore for no charge

Allergies.
Some poeple will turn silver black in a very short while. This not a fault with the silver but may be due to some medication being taken or the wearer has an acid skin type.