Sterling silver is a popular metal that has been used for many years. It is usually found in small items of jewelry, flatware, and cutlery among others. Since pure silver or fine silver is too soft to be used as it is, other durable metals such as copper and nickel are incorporated with it. Thus, for a piece of jewelry or any silver product to be considered as authentic sterling silver, it should contain 92.5% of pure silver and 7.5% of metal or alloy, usually copper. If you are planning to buy sterling silver jewelry, you should bear in mind that some manufacturers only overlay the surface of jewelry to make it look like an authentic sterling silver jewelry.
In truth, it contains more alloy or metal than pure silver. This is referred to as silver plating and very much different from sterling silver. Silver plating is of lesser quality because it reveals more of the metal underneath than the silver itself. As such, you should learn how to identify authentic sterling silver jewelry from those that are only silver plated.
First, you should look for marks such as 925. This indicates that the jewelry contains 92.5% of pure silver. The jewelry can able be marked with “Sterling Silver,” “Ster,” or “Sterling.” The marking is usually found on the clasp. Most often than not, if the jewelry does not have sterling silver marking, it is fake or just silver plated.
Second, you can perform a magnet test taking note that gold, silver, and platinum are not magnetic. Thus, if the sterling silver jewelry is attracted to the magnet, then it does not hold any silver value. You can even distinguish its authenticity by simply picking it up and discern whether it is light or heavy. If you compare it to an item known as authentic sterling silver, try to determine if it has the same weight. Otherwise, you may have to choose another piece to purchase until you are sure it is authentic.
Third, you can test the jewelry with nitric acid. You just have to ask the merchant or manufacturer to test it. Nitric acid is a harsh industrial chemical that will discolor non-silver items because it is high in copper content. If you are doing the test yourself, you may have to wear gloves and goggles for protection. Add a drop of nitric acid to an area of the sterling silver jewelry, which cannot be seen after the test. If that part of the jewelry turns green, then you can be sure that the piece is not sterling or any type of silver for that matter. On the other hand, if the part tested turns creamy, then you can be sure you have an authentic sterling silver at hand.
If you are still unsure about the authenticity of the sterling silver jewelry, get a soft and light-colored cloth. Rub the jewelry and see if the cloth shows black marks in it. If there are black marks, then the jewelry is authentic sterling silver. You should remember that authentic silver oxidizes when it is exposed to air. As such, the tarnish can be rubbed off to the cloth when you polish the jewelry.
