Not everything that glitters has to be gold - our sterling silver

Sterling silver – everyone knows the term, but where does it actually come from, and is there a difference between it and pure silver? If so, what is the difference? A brief explanation to start: Pure silver in its natural form is not suitable for making jewellery; it is simply too soft. Sterling silver refers to the common alloy made of silver and another metal, usually copper. Similar to the gold alloys you may be more familiar with. The name goes back to the English penny, the so-called Sterling or Easterling. Its composition of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal still serves as the model for our jewellery pieces today.

Much like gold mining, silver mining is also often associated with the exploitation of workers and devastating consequences for the environment. That is why, ever since Maren Jewellery was founded, we have consciously chosen to use only recycled silver from Germany. We still stand by this decision today with full conviction. On the one hand, of course, for the social and environmental reasons mentioned above, but on the other hand also because the recycled metal is in no way inferior to newly mined metal. We are the best proof that high-quality and beautiful silver necklaces and silver bracelets can be made from recycled 925 silver.

The 925 sterling silver we use for our jewelry also comes from a silver recycling process.

First, the collected silver remnants are melted down until the mass has become homogeneous and can be cast into bars. Samples are then taken from these bars and cupelled with the help of lead. In this process, the lead binds base components; it oxidizes at high temperature and is absorbed by the cupellation stone, leaving behind a precious metal bead.

This bead is then hammered and rolled and subsequently further refined chemically, including with the help of aqua regia, in order to separate the precious metals from one another. Finally, the recovered fine silver is alloyed with copper to produce 925 sterling silver again, which is then used once more in the manufacture of our jewelry pieces.

The most common silver alloys range in specified alloy sizes between 625, which corresponds to a silver content of 62.5%, and 999 silver, which consequently corresponds to a purity of 99.9%. Each alloy meets different requirements. In general, however, it can be said that the lower the silver content, the harder the end product.

600 to 800 silver, for example, is increasingly being used for cutlery and the like, i.e. commodities with a high potential for wear and tear.

Sterling silver with its purity of 92.5% represents the perfect compromise between hardness and longevity as well as the formability required for processing. As already mentioned, pure silver would be too soft for the production of jewelry.

Our jewelry pieces are durable and may even outlast us. Nevertheless, it is necessary for us to care for our recycled sterling silver jewelry at regular intervals to maintain the shine of our favorite pieces. There are a few small tricks for you at home. We have a detailed Jewelry Care Journal and a journal for Cleaning silver jewelry created, in which you will find all the important information. Our Schmuckpflegeset contains all the necessary products you need for the regular care of your jewelry. 

If you would like a professional cleaning, we are also happy to assist you with our ReFresh Service to the side and bring your silver jewelry back to shine.

Do you have doubts about the authenticity of your silver jewelry? We have a very simple tip for you on how to check the authenticity of your jewelry. All you need is a magnet. Hold your jewelry up to the magnet and see what happens. High-quality silver with a high silver content will not react to the magnet. If you still have doubts or want to know for sure, we recommend our journal with tips on recognizing high-quality jewelry or you can have your piece professionally tested for its purity.

After all the facts about the precious metal, you now want to know which pieces of jewelry Maren Jewellery offers in sterling silver? Follow the link to our timeless silver jewelry, which works wonderfully in its simple elegance even in the interaction with gold pieces.