925 silver content too high ?

Morning (in a cheery voice)
I wonder if you could possibly help me with this, i know your very knowledgeable so feel confidant in asking :-)

I've sent my first batch of silver Jewelry items to be hallmarked 925 , yippee! so excited, I got a phone call this morning from a lovely man, they are doing the testing and say my silver content is very high but should be ok, could anyone elaborate on what this means, as i'd just got up and my brain wasn't quite functioning at the time, I do tend to whittle as I want to get things right.

His reason for phoning was i'd forgot to send my earring backs in, but he's going to supply some, very kind of him :-)


Thank you in advance, I will be back in later as i'm preparing for a weekend fair,
Jackie

Hi cheery summer!
Don't know which AO you sent your items too but I'll try and answer.....In order for silver items to be marked "sterling"silver the alloy needs to have a minimum of 925 parts of fine silver per thousand. (You notice the word "minimum" - in other words it doesn't have to be exactly this figure, but it does need to be at least this figure) If it's higher than that then its not a problem at all. If it is higher than 958.4 parts per thousand, then it would be able to be marked as "Britannia" silver which is a higher purity of silver to the Sterling standard, and instead of 925 as part of the hallmark, you would get 958, and instead of the "lion passant" fineness symbol you would get the symbol of "Britannia".

What he is commenting on is the fact that you've obviously got a "good pass" for Sterling....in other words it's nicely over 925 but not fine enough to get 958. so don't worry...be happy! (and cheery) :) You clearly got your raw materials from a company who wants to make sure that it passes assay.....just what we like to hear!!!

Hi Steve,
I'm still around, got caught up reading lol.
Thank you for your swift reply, that has put my mind at ease, guess everyone has a panic first time :-D
Got my silver from cookie's, and using SAO as it's not too far from me.
Can spend the rest of my day smiling now.
Thanks again
Jackie :-)

I was always taught that if mixing your own alloy, your calculation should aim to have a mix to 1 carat above that, that is required. So for example if needing 925 aim for 926. Although I do get the idea that most people mix too high; I spoke to the MD of Cookies over her in NL a few years back and he commented that most of the alloys returned for recycling was quite high on pm content.
Les

Hi Les
I made a pair of cast earring that was in with the package I'd sent in, didn't realise he must have been referring to those. :-)
Have to admit i'd be scared of going under, my aim was for 928, thinking, just incase I was a bit out. first time at casting so guess I was over by a lot more, obviously overcompensated, but then i've always been a generous person :-)
Jackie x