Red Nymph Jewelry
Don’t make a mistake, almost everything is fake now. If you want to know your “silver” jewelry or something you are going to buy, you need to read this article. Let’s talk about real silver and how to identify fake silver jewelry.
You know that silver is considered a precious metal because it resists corrosion and oxidation, while other elements do not.
Real Silver: A classic, timeless soft metal that has been loved by people from the beginning. A shiny, smooth element used in jewelry, coins, utensils, etc.
Sterling silver: Most jewelry is pure silver, but don’t worry: at least 92.5% purity. The remaining 7.5%, usually copper, is for durability and strength.
A beautiful earring or a simple ring can shine for a lifetime.
So, instead of buying cheap jewellery that needs constant replacement, why not buy something that is durable? Shop less and wear more clothes. Reduce expenses and increase investment.
This handy guide will help you to ensure that you get real deals when it comes to your silver.
Keep reading!
Real silver: How do you say it?
Fortunately, for those of us who wear jewelry, there are many ways to judge whether the silverware you buy or decorate is genuine. From home testing to appearance, feel and smell testing, you’ll soon become an expert in identifying fakes.
Use the following tips to make sure your silver quality is up to standard.
- Does It has the stamp of 925?
Remember the 92.5% we said before?
Jewelers like to print a 0.925 stamp on their jewelry to let the wearer know that it is authentic. You may not have noticed, because these stamps are usually small and placed in an inconspicuous place.
Check the inside of your silver ring or the bottom of the bracelet. Sometimes you can check the side of the button. It has a small one. 925? That’s true!
Remember, not every real silver has such a mark, but most will. This is just a way of judging.
Does your jewelry have no stamps? Continue reading.
- Does it tarnish?
This is a trick question!
If the answer is yes, it is not a bad thing.
If your sterling silver is discolored, it is actually a sign of authenticity. Over time, fakes will lose their silvery luster. Below may be any amount of ugly fake metal that may turn your skin green. No more polishing can restore the original luster.
Instead, the real silver can be polished back to its original, smooth color, no matter how much time passes. Don’t take people by appearance. If you see something with great potential, take it home and give it a polish.
You may have found a treasure.
3 Look, smell, feel
If you don’t have time to visit a professional jeweler, you can test some of your unique silverware with something you already have: your senses.
Look: Is it peeling outside? Color distortion? Layer of metal?
All the signs point to a fake jewel.
Smell: Does it smell funny? Like Sulphur ? Is it natural?
It is not silver. Silver has no obvious smell.
Feeling: bumpy? Scratchy?Generally not smooth?
This material doesn’t sound like real silver. Is it super strong? It may be another element because silver is soft and flexible to some extent.
These home tests should be enough to check the quality of your silver. But if you want more assurance, read on. The scientific results of the acid test are undeniable.
- ACID test
One of the most reliable ways to determine if your silver is really is to do a simple acid test.
If you have time, try the local jewelry store. They will do the test on the spot. If you prefer to do it at home, order the right solution and try it yourself!
Simply put: Drop a drop of acid on the silver in question. If the acid changes color, some colors indicate whether it is false.
If the color of the acid stays the same, you fall on the real silver piece.
- Magnet test
This test is more about finding out if you have a fake.
When you buy something, you think it is authentic, but now you are not sure?
If your jewelry is connected to a magnetic surface, we don’t want to interrupt it: this material is not silver. Silver does not have the same magnetic properties as metals such as iron, nickel, and cobalt.
Want to say on the spot whether your silver is real or fake? Bring a magnet to the market next time and test it there.
6. Other kinds of silver
Sterling silver is what you look for in jewelry, and its quality is close to 93%.
But let’s not underestimate its beauty close to seconds and one third. Here are a few of the silver alloys you might encounter:
Mexican silver: 95% silver and 5% copper (for more money than jewelry)
Silver coin: 90% silver, 10% copper (not a typical jewelry material)
British Silver: 95.84% Silver!! (rare beauty)
What are you most looking forward to?
The answer is definitely standard silver. Others are rare but occasionally discovered.
Is sterling silver true? Probably, you already know the answer to this question. The true quality cannot be copied.
Does it look real? Does it feel smooth? When you polish it, does it shine? Keep the original color?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, congratulations! You have a quality jewelry that you can wear for a lifetime. Real silver should last for centuries, from the children you pass to you, and so on.
For jewelry connoisseurs, fakes are no longer suitable for them.
Silver makes a really lovely bell-like ringing sound when it is tapped on, particularly when it is tapped on with another form of metal. If you want to try this out before tapping on your questionable silver, find a United States quarter made before 1965. These were made of 90% silver while US quarters made later than 1964 are made of a copper-nickel alloy. The older quarter will give a high-pitched, clear ringing tone, while the newer quarters will give a dull thump of a sound.
Look at the silver piece with a magnifying glass. International sellers of silver will stamp silver as 925, 900 or 800. These numbers indicate the percentage of fine silver in the piece. 925 means that the piece is 92.5 percent silver. A stamp of 900 or 800 means the piece is 90 percent or 80 percent silver, and is often called “coin” silver.
In particular, use a strong magnet, such as the rare-earth magnet made out of neodymium. Silver is paramagnetic and exhibits only weak magnetic effects. If your magnet sticks strongly to the piece, it has a ferromagnetic core and is not silver.
Keep in mind that there are a few other metals that do not stick to a magnet and can be made to look like silver. It is better to perform the magnetic test in conjunction with another test to make sure the core is not another metal.
If you are testing silver bars, there is another way you can use a magnet to see if your silver is real or not. Angle one of your silver bars so that it is at a 45 degree angle. Slide the magnet down it. The magnet should slide slowly down the face of the bar. This may seem counterintuitive, but silver is paramagnetic and the rare earth magnet induces electric eddy currents in the silver which act as an electromagnet to create a braking effect that slows the descent of the magnet.
You can purchase these online at sites like Amazon or eBay, or at jewelry stores. Silver acid tests are great for pure silver, but if you think your piece is silver plated, you will have to use a small jeweler’s file to make a mark, revealing what might be under the plating.