We do spend a lot of money on jewelry. The jewelry is not just an investment piece but is also an emotional attachment. But what when you get to know that the Sterling Silver that you purchased is not real? You may find out later that it is fake. It can be heartbreaking. And you have also wasted a whole lot of money.

What is Sterling Silver?

We will lay down the differentiation between fake and real silver jewellary. However, it is important to understand what silver sterling means. Sterling Silver is an alloy made of metals. What does this mean? It is not one metal. It is a mixture of many metals. Sterling silver contains 92.5% silver. The other 7.5% is metals like copper. The blend of metal improves the durability of the metal silver. However, it in no way compromises on beauty of the jewellery.

Why is it that sterling silver jewelry is common?

If you notice that anything is lower than silver 925 then this is a warning. It signifies that the necklace contains less silver. In fact, this silver is less pure. There have been cases when there were silver-coloured necklaces which do not contain any silver sold. It is because silver is an element. It is also a colour. The jewellery could use nickel and other materials with a silver colour. However, it does not contain silver at all.

These instances do sound scary. You need to take the time out to gain knowledge on this. When you know real from fake then you are saved.

How do to get to know if sterling silver is genuine

Below we lay down the details on what you should check when buying a sterling silver 925 jewelry online India.

Take the hallmark test

When you go shopping for sterling silver jewelry ensure it has the 925 mark on it. It says that the necklace is 92.5% silver. The rest is some other metal. This is also a simple experiment. It lets you check the silver purity.

Experiment with Magnet 

Sterling silver is of a nonmagnetic nature. A simple experiment saves you. It does not let you make a wrong purchase. Keep the jewelry close to a magnet. You have to then watch it. If the piece gets pulled towards the magnet strongly, then this is impure. Sterling Silver has silver majorly. Thus it will not get pulled by a magnet.

Check the silver weight

You may have some pieces that are made with this sterling metal at home. This gives you an idea of the weight. The mass of silver sterling jewelry of similar size will give you a rough idea if the one in hand is genuine.

Nitric acid is also a good test

This could be complicated. However, it is worth the effort. Ensure you wear proper gear before you do this test. Place a small quantity of nitric acid into the jewelry. Pour it in only a small area. Since nitric acid consists of copper compounds this will end up discolouring parts that do not contain silver. Watch it for a green tinge. If you see it then silver is unreal

Rub it

Real silver oxidises. This is when it gets exposed to air. Suppose you rub silver with a cloth. Then it should be blackish. You will find it on the surface. This indicates real silver.

Smell it

Smell the jewelry. Look out for any smell that seems distinctive. A very strong smell tells you that it has a high copper content.

Ice test

Silver is a thermal conductor. When you place ice on silver jewelry the ice should melt immediately. The method is a sure winner when buying coins. You can use it on bars of sterling silver material.

Price

Sterling silver isn’t cheap. You have the metal. Then labour. There is also craftsmanship involved. In case the dealer is ready to offer a price which is too low this could cause suspicion.

Check appearance

Finally, look at times can be deceiving. Sterling silver is lustrous. It is shiny. If there is a kind of something out of place and distorted then this could be just a metal layer. Silver should have a smooth texture. If it feels bumpy then this could be a fake one. You will usually feel it in silver-plated jewelry.

Buy from a reputed store

Take care to avoid local and untrusted stores. There are high chances of getting cheated. Stick to reputed silver jewelry online dealers. It will save you from buying a fake piece. You will thus get a genuine silver sterling jewellery.

Conclusion

The chances are rare there. But there is still a possibility that you end up bringing home fake jewellery that is made of sterling silver. It thus pays to read through this article. It lets you understand how to know the difference. You can now figure out the fake silver sterling jewelry and the real one.