The alloy Sterling Silver originated in Europe and became commercially used starting around the 12th century. As mentioned before, Sterling Silver is 92.5% pure Silver. While the remaining part mainly consists of copper, other elements are used in the alloy to reduce tarnishing of the metal. Some examples are germanium, zinc and platinum.

Sterling Silver Jewelry is hallmarked with the famous 925 stamps, indicating its purity. Please note that Silver Jewelry under 1 gram is not always stamped. A significant downside of Silver is the fact that it tarnishes pretty quickly due to the copper in the alloy. This results in the Silver turning green or black. Silver Jewelry requires regular maintenance with special cleaning products to keep its lovely shine and bright color.

Silver itself is soft and while the additional metals such as copper increase its hardness, Silver remains vulnerable to scratches. Altogether, these aspects make Silver less suitable to be used for Body Jewelry. Dirt and bacteria can nest in the scrapes, clearly not ideal for Piercing Jewelry. While you can take out Silver Earrings before taking a shower or swim, this is not ideal for Body Jewelry in general.

For the die-hard Silver fans, we do have some pieces of Piercing Jewelry in our assortment. Just bear in mind the downsides and make sure to remove or replace the Jewelry when taking a swim or showering.