Precious Metal 800 Silver Spring
Heat-treated state
EN Silber 800
Spring = spring hard
For springy clasps, pin stems and catches where elastic recovery matters most.
Values for the Spring condition
Other 800 Silver tempers and conditions
800 Silver is listed in 7 conditions; see the grade overview at 800 Silver.
Compare all 7 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
As cast | For cast holloware, figurines and jewellery bodies; coarse dendritic structure with lower strength and some porosity. | 115 | 250 | 15 | 68 HB | 76 % IACS |
AnnealedDefault soft, recrystallised (600–650 °C, quenched) | Default stock condition for sheet, wire and blanks that will be raised, spun, drawn or stamped. | 130 | 300 | 40 | 75 HB | 78 % IACS |
Quarter hard | Choose when moderate stiffness is needed but further bending or light forming still follows. | 250 | 350 | 20 | 100 HB | 77 % IACS |
Half hard | Standard temper for flatware blanks, hinges and parts needing dent resistance with some residual ductility. | 330 | 400 | 12 | 118 HB | 76.5 % IACS |
Hardened | Pick for knife handles, wear surfaces and stiff strip where no further forming is required. | 420 | 470 | 5 | 142 HB | 75 % IACS |
SpringThis page Spring hard | For springy clasps, pin stems and catches where elastic recovery matters most. | 480 | 520 | 3 | 155 HB | 75 % IACS |
Pre-hardened | Highest hardness/wear resistance from Cu-rich precipitation; used for cutlery blades, hinge pins and worn contact areas. | 510 | 580 | 4 | 175 HB | 85 % IACS |
What is 800 Silver Spring?
800 Silver Spring is 800 Silver heat treated to Spring — for springy clasps, pin stems and catches where elastic recovery matters most. 800 Silver Spring has a yield strength of 480 MPa (69.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 520 MPa (75.4 ksi) — stronger than 97% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 79 GPa (11.5 Msi). 800 Silver Spring has a density of 10.15 g/cm³ (0.367 lb/in³), lighter than 59% of precious metal grades. It melts at 779°C (1,434 °F). Annealed is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Spring is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Easy to machine — 62/100, better than 99% of precious metal grades
- High strength — 480 MPa (69.6 ksi), better than 97% of precious metal grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 95/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades
- High electrical conductivity — 75 % IACS, better than 77% of precious metal grades
- Conducts heat well — 305 W/m·K (176.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 75% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Limited service temperature — 150°C (302 °F), worse than 100% of precious metal grades
- Limited ductility — 3%, worse than 95% of precious metal grades
- Limited formability — 25/100, worse than 95% of precious metal grades
- Needs corrosion protection — 60/100, worse than 88% of precious metal grades
- Low stiffness — 79 GPa (11.5 Msi), worse than 86% of precious metal grades
800 Silver Spring properties
Typical room-temperature values for 800 Silver Spring; 19 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are 800 Silver reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
800 Silver Spring has a density of 10.15 g/cm³ (0.367 lb/in³), lighter than 59% of precious metal grades. It melts at 779°C (1,434 °F).
Mechanical12
800 Silver Spring has a yield strength of 480 MPa (69.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 520 MPa (75.4 ksi) — stronger than 97% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 79 GPa (11.5 Msi).
Thermal6
800 Silver Spring is rated for continuous service to 150°C (302 °F). It conducts heat at 305 W/m·K (176.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 75% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 18.9 µm/m·K (10.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
800 Silver Spring conducts electricity at 75 % IACS, better than 77% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (60/100), worse than 88% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 800 Silver Spring takes about 1,200 MJ of energy and emits 90 kg of CO₂ — less than 66% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 50%.
Manufacturability8
800 Silver Spring's machinability is good (62/100, better than 99% of precious metal grades); weldability fair (50/100); formability poor (25/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with 800 Silver Spring
Is 800 Silver easy to machine?
Cuts cleanly with sharp, high-rake carbide or HSS tools and light oil mist; gummy and prone to smearing in the annealed state, so machine in half-hard or age-hardened condition for best finish.
Can 800 Silver be welded?
Excellent for laser and micro-TIG welding and for silver brazing; avoid overheating in reducing flames to limit hydrogen embrittlement, and use borax/boric flux to control copper oxidation.
Can 800 Silver be formed, bent or molded?
Very ductile when annealed — deep drawing, spinning, raising and stamping are routine; interanneal at 600–650 °C with quench roughly every 50 % reduction to avoid cracking.
What surface finishes work on 800 Silver?
Takes a mirror polish easily; depletion-gild or flash-plate with fine silver or rhodium to hide fire-scale and slow sulfide tarnishing, and store with anti-tarnish paper or lacquer.
800 Silver chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Aghallmark fineness 800/1000, negative tolerance not permitted under EN ISO 9202 | 80 – 81 | 80 |
| Znoptional deoxidiser/colour modifier in some continental mill alloys | 0 – 1.5 | 0 |
| Sioccasional anti-firescale/deoxidiser micro-addition | 0 – 0.05 | 0 |
| Cu≈19–20 % nominal | balance | — |
800 Silver Spring — frequently asked
What is 800 Silver Spring used for?
800 Silver Spring is typically used for european tableware, religious objects, jewelry and decorative silverware. In short: hardest common silver fineness; low-cost European standard; strong spinning and drawing alloy.
What is the yield strength of 800 Silver Spring?
800 Silver Spring has a typical yield strength of 480 MPa (69.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 520 MPa (75.4 ksi) — stronger than 97% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 7 listed tempers.
Is 800 Silver Spring easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (62/100, better than 99% of precious metal grades). Cuts cleanly with sharp, high-rake carbide or HSS tools and light oil mist; gummy and prone to smearing in the annealed state, so machine in half-hard or age-hardened condition for best finish.
Can 800 Silver Spring be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (50/100). Excellent for laser and micro-TIG welding and for silver brazing; avoid overheating in reducing flames to limit hydrogen embrittlement, and use borax/boric flux to control copper oxidation.
What surface finishes work on 800 Silver Spring?
Takes a mirror polish easily; depletion-gild or flash-plate with fine silver or rhodium to hide fire-scale and slow sulfide tarnishing, and store with anti-tarnish paper or lacquer.
Can 800 Silver Spring be formed, bent or molded?
Very ductile when annealed — deep drawing, spinning, raising and stamping are routine; interanneal at 600–650 °C with quench roughly every 50 % reduction to avoid cracking.
What is the maximum service temperature of 800 Silver Spring?
800 Silver Spring is rated for continuous use to about 150°C (302 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 800 Silver Annealed and 800 Silver-PH?
Annealed is the default condition — default stock condition for sheet, wire and blanks that will be raised, spun, drawn or stamped. PH: highest hardness/wear resistance from Cu-rich precipitation; used for cutlery blades, hinge pins and worn contact areas. Yield strength is 130 MPa in Annealed versus 510 MPa in PH.
Sources
- EN ISO 9202 — Jewellery: fineness of precious metal alloys — ISO/CEN (2019)
- Gesetz über den Feingehalt der Gold- und Silberwaren (German hallmarking law, 800 fineness) — Bundesgesetzblatt
- ASM Handbook Vol.2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys (Silver and Silver Alloys) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.3 — Alloy Phase Diagrams (Ag-Cu system) — ASM International (1992)
- Jewellery master-alloy and mill-product data for Ag-Cu 800/925 sheet and wire — Legor / Umicore (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.