FAQ
What is the difference between fine silver, sterling silver and silver plate?
Fine Silver
Fine silver contains at least 99.98% by mass of silver. Because of its high purity, fine silver is simply too soft to use in jewellery making.
Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver is an alloy of fine silver and copper, containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of copper. The addition of copper makes the silver stronger than fine silver and more resistant to tarnishing. Sterling silver is ideal for making jewellery and this is what we use here at Lille Ven.
Silver Plating
Silver plating involves a layer of silver being applied to the surface of another metal or alloy. While silver plated pieces look just like sterling silver and are less expensive, the plating can be scraped off and it tarnishes easily.
Fine Silver
Fine silver contains at least 99.98% by mass of silver. Because of its high purity, fine silver is simply too soft to use in jewellery making.
Sterling Silver
Sterling Silver is an alloy of fine silver and copper, containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of copper. The addition of copper makes the silver stronger than fine silver and more resistant to tarnishing. Sterling silver is ideal for making jewellery and this is what we use here at Lille Ven.
Silver Plating
Silver plating involves a layer of silver being applied to the surface of another metal or alloy. While silver plated pieces look just like sterling silver and are less expensive, the plating can be scraped off and it tarnishes easily.