Precious Metal Silver 925-O (Annealed)
Temper · default condition
also Sterling Silver, STG
Default stock condition for sheet, wire and tube that will be formed, raised, bent or drawn.
Values for the O condition
Other Silver 925 tempers and conditions
Silver 925 is listed in 5 conditions; see the grade overview at Silver 925.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ODefaultThis page Annealed | Default stock condition for sheet, wire and tube that will be formed, raised, bent or drawn. | 75 | 280 | 40 | 58 HB | 85 % IACS |
As fabricated | Condition of investment-cast jewellery and hollowware straight from the flask, before work hardening or age hardening. | 95 | 230 | 18 | 62 HB | 82 % IACS |
Half hard | Pick for wire, findings and bezels that must hold shape yet still take a moderate bend. | 260 | 380 | 12 | 95 HB | 83 % IACS |
hard / spring temper (≥50 % reduction) | Use for springs, clasps, pin stems and wear-facing parts where maximum strength and stiffness retention matter. | 375 | 450 | 4 | 118 HB | 82 % IACS |
Pre-hardened | Choose when a formed or cast sterling part must be hardened after shaping (spring clips, hinge pins, cutlery handles). | 400 | 470 | 6 | 132 HB | 86 % IACS |
What is Silver 925-O?
Silver 925-O is Silver 925 in the O temper — default stock condition for sheet, wire and tube that will be formed, raised, bent or drawn. Silver 925-O has a yield strength of 75 MPa (10.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 280 MPa (40.6 ksi) — weaker than 89% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 40% and the elastic modulus is 76 GPa (11 Msi). Silver 925-O has a density of 10.36 g/cm³ (0.374 lb/in³), heavier than 50% of precious metal grades. It melts at 779°C (1,434 °F).
Advantages
- Conducts heat well — 360 W/m·K (208 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 94% of precious metal grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 40%, better than 92% of precious metal grades
- Forms and bends easily — 95/100, better than 91% of precious metal grades
- High electrical conductivity — 85 % IACS, better than 88% of precious metal grades
- Easy to machine — 55/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Low stiffness — 76 GPa (11 Msi), worse than 96% of precious metal grades
- Low strength — 75 MPa (10.9 ksi), worse than 89% of precious metal grades
- Limited service temperature — 200°C (392 °F), worse than 89% of precious metal grades
Silver 925-O properties
Typical room-temperature values for Silver 925-O; 18 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Silver 925 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
Silver 925-O has a density of 10.36 g/cm³ (0.374 lb/in³), heavier than 50% of precious metal grades. It melts at 779°C (1,434 °F).
Mechanical12
Silver 925-O has a yield strength of 75 MPa (10.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 280 MPa (40.6 ksi) — weaker than 89% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 40% and the elastic modulus is 76 GPa (11 Msi).
Thermal6
Silver 925-O is rated for continuous service to 200°C (392 °F). It conducts heat at 360 W/m·K (208 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 94% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 18.9 µm/m·K (10.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Silver 925-O conducts electricity at 85 % IACS, better than 88% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (75/100), worse than 61% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Silver 925-O takes about 1,500 MJ of energy and emits 110 kg of CO₂ — more than 51% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 35%.
Manufacturability8
Silver 925-O's machinability is good (55/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades); weldability good (60/100); formability excellent (95/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Silver 925-O
Is Silver 925 easy to machine?
Very soft and gummy in the annealed state — use sharp polished high-rake carbide or HSS, high speed, light feed, and prefer half-hard or age-hardened stock for threads and turned parts; collect all swarf as refinable scrap.
Can Silver 925 be welded?
Laser and micro-TIG welding are routine with matching sterling filler; high thermal conductivity makes resistance welding difficult, and torch work needs a reducing flame plus boric-acid/flux protection against firescale.
Can Silver 925 be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability when annealed (raising, spinning, stamping, drawing); interanneal at 600–650 °C with a rapid quench after roughly 50–60 % reduction to avoid edge cracking, and investment casts well at 950–1000 °C mould temperature.
What surface finishes work on Silver 925?
Polishes to a mirror finish easily; typical finishes are bright polish, satin, chemical oxidising (liver of sulfur) or rhodium/fine-silver plating for tarnish resistance — anodizing is not applicable.
Silver 925 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ag925 fineness minimum per ISO 9202 / GB/T 11887 hallmarking | 92.5 – 93.5 | 92.5 |
| Cubalance; may be partly replaced by Zn/Si/Ge/Sn in de-oxidised or tarnish-resistant sterling variants | ≥ 6.5 (balance) |
Silver 925-O — frequently asked
What is Silver 925-O used for?
Silver 925-O is typically used for jewelry, tableware and coin minting. In short: sterling silver jewelry sheet.
What is the yield strength of Silver 925-O?
Silver 925-O has a typical yield strength of 75 MPa (10.9 ksi) and a tensile strength of 280 MPa (40.6 ksi) — weaker than 89% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is Silver 925-O easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades). Very soft and gummy in the annealed state — use sharp polished high-rake carbide or HSS, high speed, light feed, and prefer half-hard or age-hardened stock for threads and turned parts; collect all swarf as refinable scrap.
Can Silver 925-O be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (60/100). Laser and micro-TIG welding are routine with matching sterling filler; high thermal conductivity makes resistance welding difficult, and torch work needs a reducing flame plus boric-acid/flux protection against firescale.
What surface finishes work on Silver 925-O?
Polishes to a mirror finish easily; typical finishes are bright polish, satin, chemical oxidising (liver of sulfur) or rhodium/fine-silver plating for tarnish resistance — anodizing is not applicable.
Can Silver 925-O be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability when annealed (raising, spinning, stamping, drawing); interanneal at 600–650 °C with a rapid quench after roughly 50–60 % reduction to avoid edge cracking, and investment casts well at 950–1000 °C mould temperature.
What is the maximum service temperature of Silver 925-O?
Silver 925-O is rated for continuous use to about 200°C (392 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between Silver 925-O and Silver 925-PH?
O is the default condition — default stock condition for sheet, wire and tube that will be formed, raised, bent or drawn. PH: choose when a formed or cast sterling part must be hardened after shaping (spring clips, hinge pins, cutlery handles). Yield strength is 75 MPa in O versus 400 MPa in PH.
Sources
- ISO 9202 Jewellery — Fineness of precious metal alloys — ISO (2019)
- ASM Handbook Vol.2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys (Precious Metals) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Alloy Phase Diagrams — Ag-Cu system — ASM International (1992)
- Sterling silver sheet & wire technical data — Hoover & Strong / Rio Grande (2024)
- CES EduPack materials data — silver alloys (eco properties) — Granta/Ansys (2022)
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.