What Is 925 Sterling Silver? What to Know When Choosing Silver Jewellery
Silver has been cherished in the world of jewellery for centuries for its elegant appearance, soft lustre and versatility in everyday wear. It lends itself beautifully to modern, minimal and symbolic designs and, when crafted with care, can be enjoyed for many years.
But what does the term “925 sterling silver” actually mean? Why is 925 fineness important when choosing silver jewellery? Is tarnishing normal? And can a piece that appears gold in colour still be made from sterling silver?
In this guide, we explain 925 sterling silver clearly and simply.
What Does 925 Sterling Silver Mean?
925 sterling silver means that 92.5% of the metal content is pure silver. The remaining 7.5% consists of alloying metals added to improve the silver’s strength and durability.
Pure silver—often referred to as fine silver and generally marked as 1000—is too soft for most jewellery applications. It can bend easily, lose its shape more quickly and may not offer enough resistance for everyday wear.
For this reason, jewellery is usually made from 925 sterling silver rather than pure silver. Sterling silver retains a high proportion of precious silver while providing the strength required for wearable, long-lasting designs.
In simple terms, 925 sterling silver is the established jewellery standard that creates the right balance between beauty, precious-metal value and durability.
What Is Sterling Silver?
In international jewellery terminology, 925 silver is known as sterling silver. The terms “925 silver” and “sterling silver” therefore describe the same standard of silver alloy.
Markings such as “925”, “Sterling” or “Ster” indicate that a piece contains a high proportion of pure silver. These marks are among the details that can offer reassurance when choosing silver jewellery.
How Can You Tell Whether Silver Is 925 Sterling Silver?
One of the most common ways to identify sterling silver is to look for a fineness mark or hallmark on the jewellery. A piece may be stamped with the number “925”, indicating that it has been made to the 925 sterling silver standard.
However, a hallmark may not always be immediately visible on very fine, small or delicate designs. For this reason, the reliability of the brand, an accompanying jewellery certificate and access to after-sales support are just as important as the stamp itself.
KURSHUNI silver jewellery is delivered with a jewellery certificate confirming the precious-metal information of the piece. This allows you to shop with confidence, knowing which material your jewellery has been crafted from.
KURSHUNI’s Sterling Silver Fineness Guarantee
The fish symbol found on KURSHUNI jewellery is our signature brand mark. This distinctive form is registered and internationally protected, and it serves as an important sign of an original KURSHUNI design.
Every KURSHUNI piece carries this fish symbol.
On certain pieces, it appears as a small fish-shaped detail that hangs delicately from the jewellery. On others, it is positioned close to the clasp. For designs on which a physical fish detail cannot be added—such as certain earrings, piercings and rings—the symbol is applied directly to the jewellery using micro-engraving.
One side of the fish bears the KURSHUNI name, while the other displays the fineness of the precious metal. On our sterling silver jewellery, this is marked as 925/Ag925.
The KURSHUNI fish is therefore more than an aesthetic brand detail. It is a distinctive mark carrying information about the jewellery’s authenticity, precious-metal fineness and KURSHUNI craftsmanship.
Why Choose 925 Sterling Silver?
One of the main reasons sterling silver is so widely used is its ability to adapt naturally to everyday life. It is elegant, accessible and, with the right care, long-lasting.
Sterling silver jewellery retains the natural beauty and lustre of silver while providing greater durability for everyday wear. It also offers an excellent foundation for detailed craftsmanship.
Its balanced properties make it particularly well suited to symbolic elements, minimal forms, layered necklaces, bracelets, earrings and piercing jewellery.
Sterling silver is therefore more than simply “silver jewellery”. It is a strong and versatile foundation that enables a well-designed piece of jewellery to become part of your life for years.
Does 925 Sterling Silver Tarnish?
Yes. Sterling silver can tarnish over time, and this does not mean that the silver is poor quality. Tarnishing is a natural characteristic of silver and its alloying metals.
Exposure to air, humidity, perspiration, perfume, creams, cosmetics, seawater, chlorinated water and chemical substances can gradually affect the surface of sterling silver. This may appear as darkening, discolouration or a loss of shine.
The important point to remember is this:
Tarnishing is a natural surface reaction and can be reduced, cleaned and professionally treated with the right care.
Keeping your jewellery in a dry, enclosed and separate place when it is not being worn, and limiting its contact with perfume, creams, moisture and water, will help preserve its lustre for longer.
For us, the value of a piece of jewellery does not end on the day it is purchased. Its value continues as it is worn and becomes part of its owner’s life over the years.
Should your KURSHUNI sterling silver jewellery require care, repair or restoration, you may contact us. We will assess the condition of the piece and guide you towards the most appropriate care or repair process available.
Does Sterling Silver Tarnish in Water?
Clean water does not cause sterling silver to tarnish immediately. However, the water we encounter in everyday life rarely contains water alone.
In the shower, jewellery is exposed to soap, shampoo and personal-care products. Swimming pools contain chlorine, seawater contains salt, and tap water may leave mineral deposits behind.
For this reason, we recommend removing sterling silver jewellery before showering, swimming or entering the sea. This simple habit can help preserve the surface finish, plating and lustre of your jewellery for longer.
Can Gold-Coloured Jewellery Be Made from 925 Sterling Silver?
Yes. A gold-coloured appearance does not necessarily mean that a piece is made from solid gold.
Specialist plating techniques can be applied over 925 sterling silver to create a refined finish in yellow-gold or bright white-metal tones.
At KURSHUNI, our silver jewellery is completed using a multi-layer plating process over a 925 sterling silver base. This process is designed not only to create colour but also to support the jewellery’s surface resistance, lustre and longevity.
A bright, white-gold-like finish is achieved through rhodium plating, while our yellow-gold colour is created using 24K pure gold plating.
KURSHUNI’s multi-layer plating technique helps create a more resistant surface and allows the jewellery to retain its shine for longer with appropriate everyday care.
This approach is an important part of KURSHUNI’s production quality. In well-made silver jewellery, the design is only one consideration. The underlying precious metal, plating quality, surface performance and production standards are equally important.
When choosing jewellery, it is therefore worth looking beyond colour. Consider the underlying metal, its fineness, the plating technique and the brand’s overall approach to production.
Can 925 Sterling Silver Cause an Allergic Reaction?
When sterling silver is produced with an appropriate alloy and under reliable manufacturing standards, it is generally considered a skin-friendly jewellery material.
Reactions experienced by sensitive skin are often associated not with the silver itself but with unsuitable alloying metals, allergens such as nickel or inappropriate plating processes.
KURSHUNI jewellery is manufactured in accordance with international production standards. Our jewellery is nickel-free and cadmium-free, and we do not use materials or manufacturing applications considered harmful to human health or the environment.
KURSHUNI jewellery is designed and produced to be hypoallergenic, helping to minimise the risk of sensitivity during normal wear.
This production approach is especially important for jewellery that comes into direct contact with the skin, including earrings, piercing jewellery, necklaces and bracelets.
How Should You Care for 925 Sterling Silver Jewellery?
Although sterling silver is suitable for everyday wear, it requires care like every precious piece of jewellery.
The following habits can help protect its shape, shine and surface finish:
- • Put your jewellery on after applying perfume, cream, hairspray and make-up.
- • Remove it before showering, swimming, exercising or entering the sea.
- • Store it in its original box or in a soft jewellery pouch when it is not being worn.
- • Keep individual pieces separate to prevent rubbing, scratching and tangling.
- • Do not leave it exposed in damp or humid environments for extended periods.
This simple care ritual will help your jewellery retain its original beauty and remain part of your life for longer.
925 Sterling Silver: The KURSHUNI Approach
For KURSHUNI, sterling silver is more than a choice of material. It reflects an approach in which design, engineering and the experience of everyday wear are considered together.
A piece of jewellery should not only look beautiful. It should also be carefully balanced, produced at the right thickness, comfortable against the skin, easy to layer and capable of becoming a natural part of your personal style over time.
KURSHUNI sterling silver jewellery is designed around symbols, modern forms and refined craftsmanship.
Each piece is refined when worn alone, powerful when combined and deeply personal when layered.
E.Esra KURŞUNLU
