Sterling: a.k.a. White gold, has long been the recognized standard for solid silver, although in present day America fewer people purchase sterling. By law, sterling must be 925 parts pure silver and 75 parts alloy (usually copper) which provides strength and hardness, as pure silver is too soft to work with. Silver can be hammered into sheets so thin that 100,000 stacked sheets would measure just an inch, and can be drawn into a wire finer than a human hair. Sterling is a hygienic metal with actual germ-killing properties, and through repeated use and gradual accumulation of microscopic scratches sterling achieves its lustrous patina.