Tips to help you clear the confusion between pure and fake sterling silver jewellery

Thinking of buying silver jewellery, but confused about the difference between pure silver and 925 sterling silver? We have answered your query in this post, plus there are some bonus tips from us especially for you.


First of all, the difference between pure silver and 925 sterling silver. Pure silver is not made up of only silver, but has 99.9% of silver, and a small content composed of other metals such as copper. Sterling Silver, on the other hand, consists of 92.5% silver, and the remaining part consists of mostly copper. Because of this reason Sterling Silver is popularly referred to as 925 Sterling Silver.

The reason silver needs to be combined with other metals is because of silver being soft and malleable. This property of silver makes it very difficult to make great designs with just pure silver, hence a bit of hardness has to be introduced by adding other metals such as copper. After making it hard by adding copper, jewelers are capable of making the most intricate and complex designs in 925 Silver Jewelry.

925 Sterling Silver jewellery certainly does not come cheap, whether you are buying a sterling silver necklace or a silver pendant. But it is a worthwhile investment because not only it will be one of the best additions to your jewelry wardrobe, but its value increases with time. But you need to be careful because there are many sellers selling fake versions of silver jewellery.

Knowing how to identify real 925 sterling silver from the fake ones will be of a great help to you.

Our experts have compiled a list of 5 tests and techniques that can help you in distinguishing real sterling silver jewelry from the fake ones.

Technique #1: Look for Tarnish
Real sterling silver has a quality of getting tarnished as soon as it is exposed to air. So, rub the jewellery with a soft white cloth and if you find any black marks on the cloth then it is definitely authentic sterling silver.

Technique #2: The Nitric Acid Test
While real sterling silver doesn't get affected when coming in contact with nitric acid, fake jewelry loses its colour and appears green. Ask your jeweler to conduct the nitric acid test to know about the genuineness of the product he is selling.

Technique #3: The Smell Test
Real sterling silver doesn't smell because there’s only a minimal amount of copper in the alloy. If your jewellery has a smell, it is because there is too much copper in it and is probably fake.

Technique #4: The Magnet Test
Magnets don’t attract neither silver nor gold. So if you find that the jewelry is attracted to a magnet, then it is not made of real sterling silver.

Technique #5: Check for Hallmarks
Markings such as “Ster,” “925” or “Sterling Silver” are only found on real sterling silver. If you don’t see any of these markings, then the jewellery is probably fake.

 
Save yourself a lot of time by purchasing real sterling silver jewelry from a genuine and reputable sterling silver jewellery manufacturer such as “925 Silver Jaipur”. We have established an exquisite collection of real and the most beautifully crafted 925 Sterling Silver jewelry.

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