What Does “925” Actually Mean?

This indicates that it is sterling silver – the highest grade of silver metal for jewelry.

Look for the “925” stamp when shopping for silver jewelry.

The stamp proves that the metal is 92.5 percent pure silver alloy. It also tells you that 7.5 percent of copper (or other metals) has been added to the metal to increase its strength.

Silver on its own is soft, flexible and malleable. This makes it prone to scratches without the addition of other metals.

Everything I make in silver is 925 sterling — the same stamp you just read about. You can see the pieces here: sterling silver jewelry.

And if you want yours to keep its shine, this is how I take care of silver.