From the Bench │ What Is Sterling Silver?
Sterling silver has been treasured for centuries for its beauty, durability, and timeless character. It is one of the world's precious metals and has long been used by silversmiths to create heirlooms, ceremonial objects, tableware, sculpture, and jewelry.
Despite its name, sterling silver is not pure silver.
Pure silver is naturally very soft. While beautiful, it bends and scratches too easily for most everyday jewelry. To give it greater strength, silver is combined with a small amount of another metal—traditionally copper.
The result is sterling silver.
Sterling silver contains 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% alloy, a composition that has become the international standard for fine silver jewelry. That's why you'll often find the number 925 stamped inside a ring or on the back of a pendant. It simply identifies the piece as sterling silver.
One of the qualities I appreciate most about sterling silver is that its beauty belongs to the metal itself. Its bright white color is natural, not applied. With time and wear, sterling silver develops a soft patina that many people find beautiful because it reflects the life of the piece and the person who wears it. If you prefer its original brilliance, sterling silver can easily be polished to restore its shine.
Unlike many materials, sterling silver is also remarkably sustainable. It can be melted down, refined, and reused without losing its essential qualities, allowing the metal to continue its story in new forms for generations.
For a silversmith, sterling silver is wonderfully responsive. It can be carved, forged, soldered, engraved, textured, and polished while retaining its strength and elegance. Those qualities allow me to sculpt the forms I imagine and bring them to life one piece at a time.
Sterling silver is more than the material I use.
It is the material I trust.
Every piece of jewelry at Body & Soul Silversmith is handcrafted in sterling silver at my bench in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
— Marcia
Body & Soul Silversmith