How to distinguish true sterling silver from fake silver

Sterling silver is an alloyed metal containing 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals. Recently, the price of 925 sterling silver has soared. Works that cost $8 in the past now cost up to $30. Because of the high cost, buying sterling silver jewelry is a big investment. At the time of purchase, you should notice that some jewelry dealers use silver-plated jewelry as real sterling silver jewelry. Therefore, you should be careful when purchasing.

Sterling silver test

You can use a lot of testing to determine if you have purchased a real unit. Some of these tests include:

Odour testfrom

: This test works best when you buy large jewelry. You should wipe the device you want to buy and smell it. If the device has a metallic or brass smell, it is definitely not true. Real jewelry should not have any smell.

Friction testfrom

: Here you need to wipe your jewelry with a soft white cloth. If you find black marks on your clothes after rubbing, then you are lucky, because you will deal with a real unit. True silver oxidizes when exposed to air, which can cause it to deteriorate over time. This is the reason for the black mark.

Nitric acid testfrom

: Nitric acid is a cheap acid that you can easily get at your local store or online. When you buy jewelry, ask the jeweler if you should test it. Nitric acid has no effect on real 925 sterling silver; therefore, if a jeweler sells a real unit to you, he/she will not have any problems with testing your jewelry.

Magnet testfrom

: This is probably the easiest test. You need to put the magnet near the jewelry. True sterling silver is not attracted to magnets.

Mark testfrom

: Here, you should pay attention to the markings on the surface of the jewelry. A real unit surface will have "925 sterling silver", "925" or "Ster" mark. The marking should not cover any plating.

Tips for increasing the chances of buying a real unit

In order to increase the chances of buying genuine silver jewelry, you need to consider a lot of things. One thing you should do is to be cautious about the dealers you work with. Whether you buy online or offline, you can ensure that the dealers you work with are reputable and have a good track record. This requires you to spend time researching.

Another thing you should do is to buy jewelry with the help of an expert. The expert will not only guide you to the best place, but he/she will also guide you through the selection of the right unit.

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