What Does 925 Sterling Silver Mean?

What does 925 Sterling Silver mean?

We hear the term “sterling silver” almost every day, it is also stamped on your silver jewelry, yet many shoppers do not understand what it really means.  
Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of other materials, mainly copper. The 92.5% is why jewelry is stamped with the numbers 925.

Why Mix Copper with Pure Silver?
Even though your silver jewelry is not pure silver, it is done so for two good reasons.
Silver tends to oxidize (tarnish) quickly - The 7.5% copper used to make sterling silver slows down the tarnishing process.
Also, pure silver is a very soft metal and it can break easily. Adding copper ensures that your silver jewelry will last a lot longer.