Sterling silver is an alloy composed by weight of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925.
Tiffany & Co. pitcher (c. 1871) having paneled sides and repoussé design with shells, scrolls and flowers; top edge is repousse arrowhead leaf design
A Macedonian sterling silver Hanukkah menorah
A Chinese export sterling silver punch bowl, c. 1875 (from the Huntington Museum of Art)
Norman silver pennies changed designs every three years. This two-star design (possible origin of the word "sterling"), issued by William the Conqueror, is from 1077 to 1080.
An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which at least one is a metal. Unlike chemical compounds with metallic bases, an alloy will retain all the properties of a metal in the resulting material, such as electrical conductivity, ductility, opacity, and luster, but may have properties that differ from those of the pure metals, such as increased strength or hardness. In some cases, an alloy may reduce the overall cost of the material while preserving important properties. In other cases, the mixture imparts synergistic properties to the constituent metal elements such as corrosion resistance or mechanical strength.
From left to right: three alloys (beryllium copper, Inconel, steel) and three pure metals (titanium, aluminum, magnesium)
Liquid bronze, being poured into molds during casting
A brass lamp
A gate valve, made from Inconel
