How to identify real and quality .925 Sterling Silver
Agreed, .925 sterling silver may not be the sexiest metal out there. But if you have gone shopping for jewelry, souvenirs and holiday gifts at a jewelry store, it is quite likely you took notice of a metal known as “.925 sterling silver”. Even though you might identify the metal when you see it, I bet you have no idea what the .925 stands for.
While pure Silver contains almost 100% of silver, Sterling Silver contains 92.5% of silver, with the rest being composed of copper, hence the name “.925 Silver”.
Left on its own, silver isn’t great for making jewelries owing to its soft and malleable nature. Adding metals copper adds more strength to silver. With increased hardness, sterling silver can be used in making intricate designs.
Why is it important you buy real Sterling Silver?
Make no mistakes –.925 Sterling Silver is quite pricey. You must be willing to spend when investing in Sterling Silver. The good thing about buying jewels made of quality .925 Silver is that their value appreciates with time. This is why it is important you learn how to identify original Sterling Silver to avoid getting duped.
Techniques for identifying original Sterling Silver
Out there in the market, there are lots of fraudsters who peddle fake rings, necklaces and earrings made of fake Sterling Silver. What these unscrupulous set of individuals do is to plate these jewelries with silver while selling them as sterling silver. Below are some techniques that will help you tell original Sterling Silver from the fake one:
- Rub the jewelry against a white, soft and clean cloth: A real Sterling Silver will leave back marks on the cloth. This is because original silver oxidizes when exposed to air.
- Subject the silver to Nitric Acid: Nitric acid when dropped on fake sterling silver would cause it to lose its color. So before making payments for your jewelry, first ask if you could drop Nitric Acid on the shiny metal.
Nitric acid has zero effect on original sterling silver. So if you are in for a real deal, the seller will definitely have no issues with Nitric Acid test.
- Try the smell test: If real, sterling silver will not produce any smell. If it does, then it is definitely not original sterling silver.
- Test with a magnet: Quite simple but effective. Just like gold and platinum, original silver isn’t attracted to magnets. But if it happens the silver you intend buying is being attracted to a magnet, then it is a clear indication that it is fake silver.
So there you have it, 4 different techniques for identifying original sterling silver. But if these techniques look overwhelming, you can save yourself the stress by buying your silver jewelries from reputable stores like Luvxm.com
