Sterling Silver Pins & Brooches

Sterling silver brooches date back to 12th century. Though humankind has used silver since around 5000 B.C., the reference to “sterling” silver did not emerge until the 1100s in England.

When eastern German farmers would pay for their purchase of British cattle, they used a coinage that the Brits referred to as “Easterlings,” most likely in reference to their client’s geographical origins. Eventually the name was absorbed into common parlance and shortened to “sterling,” becoming a reference to the fine grade of silver it alludes to today.

The brilliant white sheen of a sterling brooch is unrivaled by any other precious metal, and the malleability of the material allows for sterling brooches to be replete with elaborate designs and motifs. From family insignias to fantastical flora, sterling brooches offer such an amazing range of designs that it is virtually impossible to not find one that captivates.

Quick Facts

• Though harder than gold, sterling silver melts at a lower temperature
• Official sterling silver requires that its content be at a minimum 92.5 percent pure silver. The remaining percentage can be made of any allow mixture, which is added to reinforce the metal (without this alloy, a pure silver piece would be very easily dinged or dented)
• Slightly more pure is Britannia silver pieces, which includes at least 95.84 percent of the metal. Most examples will come stamped with a hallmark reading “958” and, in some cases, an additional mark of “Britannia”