If you look closely at the inside of your ring or the clasp of your necklace, you’ll likely see a tiny number stamped into the metal: 925.
It’s small, but it is the most important mark on your jewellery. It is the difference between a piece that lasts a lifetime and one that turns your skin green in a week.
Here is exactly what that number means and why you should always look for it.
The Secret Recipe: 92.5% Silver
The number 925 is a shorthand for a percentage: 92.5%.
It means that for every 1,000 parts of metal in that piece of jewellery, 925 parts are pure silver. The remaining 7.5% is made up of other metals (usually copper).
This specific mixture is what we call Sterling Silver.
“Wait, why isn’t it 100% Silver?”
You might be wondering: “If I’m paying for silver, shouldn’t I get 100% pure silver?”
Actually, no—you wouldn’t want that!
Pure Silver (often marked as 999) is incredibly soft. It’s so malleable that if you had a ring made of 100% silver, you could bend it out of shape with your bare hands. It would scratch, dent, and warp within days of wearing it.
To make silver durable enough to be worn as jewellery, silversmiths add that small 7.5% of harder metals (like copper or zinc). This “alloy” gives the silver the strength to hold its shape and grip gemstones securely, without losing that signature white shine.
How to Spot the Mark
The stamp can be tiny, so you might need good lighting (or a magnifying glass) to see it.
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On Rings: Usually stamped on the inside band.
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On Necklaces: Often found on the clasp or a small tag next to the clasp.
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On Earrings: Typically on the post (the part that goes through your ear) or the butterfly back.
Other Common Stamps for Sterling Silver: Sometimes, instead of “925,” you might see:
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STER
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STERLING
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STG
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SS
925 vs. Silver Plated: The Big Difference
This is where many shoppers get tricked.
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925 Sterling Silver: The piece is solid silver alloy all the way through. If you cut it in half, it’s silver on the inside too. It holds its value and can be polished forever.
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Silver Plated: This is a base metal (like brass or nickel) that has been dipped in a super-thin layer of silver. It looks great at first, but once that thin layer wears off, the base metal shows through, and your skin might turn green. Plated jewellery rarely has a ‘925’ stamp.
The 925 stamp is your guarantee of quality. It means you are buying real, solid precious metal that is built to last.
