Silver is a precious metal. Mostly used in jewelry as fine or .925 silver (sterling silver). Fine silver is .999 silver, also known as pure silver. It's use in jewelry is limited because it is the softest form of the metal. Sterling silver is made out of 92.5% of silver and 7.5% of copper or other metals. This is the most used silver alloy because it is a hard and durable alloy, ideal for jewelry. Since sterling contains copper it is more prone to tarnishing but it can be easily shined with a polishing cloth (included with your purchase).