Sterling Silver vs. Silver-Filled
Sterling Silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually copper, reason being the copper gives the metal stability of being stronger and having more durability. Sterling silver is shiny & beautiful, however over time it will tarnish and become unflattering; there’s also lots of polishing involved and not to mention, sterling silver can also be EXPENSIVE.
Sterling Silver-Filled has layers and layers of sterling silver mechanically bonded over brass or copper alloy core hundreds of times. This material is widely used by many of jewelry artist/designers because of its durability, beauty and it is more COST EFFECTIVE and it’s a popular alternative to sterling silver. And guess what, you can clean it the same way you would sterling silver.
Anyone who can wear sterling silver can also wear sterling silver-filled without an allergic reaction.
By Nakishia Freeman, The Freeman Jewelry Collection