Sterling Silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually copper, reason being the copper gives the metal stability of being stronger and having more durability. Sterling silver is shiny & beautiful, however over time it will tarnish and become unflattering; there’s also lots of polishing involved and not to mention, sterling silver can also be EXPENSIVE. Sterling Silver Filled has layers and layers of sterling silver mechanically bonded over brass or copper- alloy core hundreds of times. This material is widely used by many of jewelry artist/designers because of its durability, beauty and it is more COST EFFECTIVE and it’s a popular alternative to sterling silver. And guess what, you can clean it the same way you would sterling silver. Anyone who can wear sterling silver can also wear sterling silver-filled without an allergic reaction.