When buying beads and findings on ebay, you may find that many will list their items as sterling silver, however be aware that if items are listed as "Bali Sterling Silver" or "Tibetan Sterling Silver" these are NOT pure 925 Sterling Silver, they contain an amount of silver that in some cases can be 20% or lower and the rest will be a mix of various other metals.

Ensure that your sterling silver beads and findings truly are 925, if in doubt, ask the seller, this way you will know you are getting the real thing and you will also avoid possible allergic reactions to the pieces you make.