Sterling silver discolor when exposed to salty air, chlorine,sulfur,humidity, perspiration,cosmetics,chlorine bleach and other strong chemicals. To prevent tarnish as much as possible, we recommend that you store your fine jewelry in a safe, dry place when engaging in the following activities:
Showering,bathing or swimming in pools, hot tubs and the ocean.
Using lotion,hair products, fragrances and other cosmetics.
Exercising at the gym or during contact sports.
Fine .999 silver type of silver is quite soft and will scratch,dent and change shape failrly easily. For this reason, it is less common in jewelry because products will not wear well over time.
925 Sterling Silver is the jewelry quality standard in mos world markets. It is and alloy of 92.5% silver. The remaining 7.5% is usually copper though it is sometimes other metals such as platinum.
The other metals in the alloy increase hardness so the material will be more durable. 925 silver somewhat soft for this reason, jewelry will be scratched or blended around. It is very bright and shiny but it will tarnish.