Look for the 925 marking.Genuine sterling silver jewelry will be marked with these three numbers or STERLING or STER. Hold a magnet to the silver. If the magnet sticks, your jewelry is not real sterling silver.
All silver jewellery should have a stamp to identify it as pure silver as required by law. “925” means Sterling Silver and. 999 refers to pure hand-made silver, 92% and 99% respectively. Be wary of Chinese Silver – which carries the mark “S925” which is usually nickel/copper with a silver coating.
Real sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver; the most common alloy used to harden it is copper, and neither of these metals is magnetic. Often a clasp is made of something different that may be magnetic, but if the chain you describe sticks to a magnet, then sadly it is not “sterling” and should not be marked “.
The Magnet Test
"Silver is not noticeably magnetic, and exhibits only weak magnetic effects unlike iron, nickel, cobalt, and the like," says Martin. "If your magnet sticks strongly to the piece, it has a ferromagnetic core and is not silver." Fake silver or silver-plated items are generally made of other metals.
Look for the 925 marking.Genuine sterling silver jewelry will be marked with these three numbers or STERLING or STER. Hold a magnet to the silver. If the magnet sticks, your jewelry is not real sterling silver. Smell the sterling silver.If it smells strongly metallic, then your jewelry is not real sterling silver.
925 silver value is between $0.69 and $0.80 per gram on average. A sterling silver jewelry's cost can be calculated by multiplying the total sterling silver weight by 0.925 as it contains 92.5% pure silver.
The “Magnet” Test
Since silver is paramagnetic, performing a magnetic test is the easiest way to tell if your silver has a high level of purity. The piece is authentic if it does not react, or reacts minimally (meaning without any visible movement). You have to use a strong magnet like a neodymium magnet.
Pure silver is not susceptible to tarnish in a pure oxygen environment. However, the copper that is contained in 925 sterling silver may react to the ozone and hydrogen sulfide in the air and cause sterling silver to tarnish. Perfumes, hair sprays, and profuse sweating can also cause a quicker formation of tarnish.
The easiest way to tell if sterling silver is real is by finding the imprint on your piece. Rings, necklaces, and bracelets made of sterling silver will have a “925” stamp somewhere. On rings, the stamp is usually on the inside band. Bracelets and necklaces will often have them on the clasp or on a seperate charm.
Silver plate items will not have a 925 stamp or a hallmark.
It's instead likely the piece's base is sterling silver and gold has been plated or otherwise applied atop the base.
Silver turns black when kept in the air because it reacts with sulphur compounds such as hydrogen sulphide (H2S) present in air.
Alternatively, use a drop of vinegar (which is highly acidic) on the scratched piece. If it's real silver, the surface won't get tarnished.
Maybe you have wondered why over time your silver bracelet dulls or starts to turn black? I can assure you it is not because your Sterling (925) Silver is “bad”. Long-term wear and your chemical body compound gradually dulls or darkens the silver's shine. Your silver will also tarnish sitting unloved on your dresser.
Q: Is Real Silver Required to Have a Stamp? A: Short answer, yes. The 925 stamp or hallmark is overseen by the United States government in order to protect consumers. It is illegal for any plated or fake silver item to be stamped or hallmarked with “sterling" or 925.
Under this definition, silver, which has a density of 10.49 g/cm³, is indeed a heavy metal – as are iron (7.9 g/cm³), nickel (8.9 g/cm³), copper (8.9 g/cm³) and gold (19.32 g/cm³). Heavy metals which are particularly resistant to corrosion are known as noble metals. These include gold, silver and platinum group metals.
Real silver, which has a higher purity than sterling silver, is generally more expensive. However, silver 925 is a popular alternative due to its relative affordability. Despite being less pure than real silver, silver 925 retains its beauty and lustrous appearance.
925 silver is worth investing in as an alternative investment in precious metals and commodities. As inflation increases, silver may reach as much as US$100 an ounce. To tell if you have 925 silver, check your necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and pendants and see if there is a 925 hallmark someone discreet.
A: The precious metal content (92.5%) in sterling silver makes it more expensive than flash-plated jewelry by default. People who buy sterling silver do so because of the value of the metal in it and its inherent beauty and relative affordability.
Most silver plated items are made of silver-on-copper. So if a magnet 'sticks' to the item, it cannot be silver or copper. If a suitable magnet shows the diamagnetic effect the item might be silver (most likely with a coin) or it could be silver-plating on copper. Do not confuse diamagnetism with magnetism.
Silver or Plate
To put it bluntly, sterling silver items were made for the middle and upper classes. Silver plate was an invention aimed at making 'silver' style items available to the masses. If you see the letters EPNS or A1 on your item then it is silver plated.
Silver plate is (usually) colourless. The nickel has a darker tinge to it. If you put a nickel plated item next to a polished silver plated item you will easily notice the difference. Silver tarnishes but nickel doesn't.