I can't wear stainless steel post earrings due to metal allergies. I sometimes find it difficult to find earrings to wear since sterling silver can become so expensive. Generally, I don't like to spend a lot on just simple items that I figure I'll only wear periodically. I figure that way if they don't work well or last long, I won't be too upset about throwing them away. These are lightweight, fit more securely than the pair I was replacing and give me no allergy troubles. If you need sterling for some reason and don't have much to spend, these are perfectly fine. If you're looking for a really nice pair of sterling earrings that will last with daily use for years, these probably won't work well for you and you should probably just spend the extra on a higher quality pair. I'm a little suspicious about the "tarnish-free" claim, since I cleaned them with rubbing alcohol prior to wear and they developed an unusual white coating which came off immediately with no apparent damage. I've had lots of silver jewelry over the years and never saw that happen.