Test Method #3: Real Silver Is Not Magnetic. An imprint of the numbers "925" indicates that the chain contains 92.5% of pure silver. It means it contains 62.6% pure silver and the remaining 37.4% containd one or more other metals. Another easy way to tell if your jewelry piece is real 92.5 Sterling Silver is by comparing it to an item of a similar weight that you know is made of real silver. It is harder than pure silver. If the reaction is milk-colored, then it is really sterling silver that has been gold-plated. If performing the chemical test to determine silver quality, use a pair of gloves, as the nitric acid is extremely corrosive. What they said was, “There are no easy and reliable at-home tests tha… By using our site, you agree to our. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Why Do Wound Care Products And Medications Contain Silver? All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Yes. To create this article, 26 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Thanks. While this is to be expected and is absolutely normal for any silver jewelry, if there is any color showing through the silver, it’s a good indication the piece is silver-plated, not solid, and therefore fake. Its value is due more to design and decorative desirability. Meaning Pure (Real). ", "Excellent, clear and concise instructions.". Place the piece of jewelry on the plate and glide it across the plate’s surface. Some countries do not require their silver to be stamped. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Perform the Ice Test. I’ve heard all the Internet ones you have—breathe on it, try to scratch it, try to read through it, drop it in water to see if it floats, etc., so I decided to call up the folks at GIAand see what they had to say. Silver is a good thermal conductor. Sterling silver is 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent other metals, primarily copper. A small shaving is taken off the jewelry and put in an acid solution. This works best with older things of silver. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. % of people told us that this article helped them. Amazed at the ice test..", "Informative and helpful pictures of each process. Every dollar contributed enables us to keep providing high-quality how-to help to people like you. Gold metal pieces will have a stamp to indicate the level of fineness or karat. After biting down on the jewelry with slight pressure, you should be able to see noticeable dents in the metal. Sterling Silver alloy contains 92.5% Silver and 7.5% Copper..999 Silver, or fine Silver, is pure silver or more accurately 99.9% silver, because no metal is ever completely pure. If you suspect you have a high value item, you might be better off trying to determine the silver content using one of the other methods listed in this article. Very informational, I will now have it graded/evaluated as it passed. If there is a milky reaction, the necklace has a layer of gold over silver. Visit a local jewelry store or pawn shop where someone is certified in professionally appraising jewelry. If the ice melts immediately, it's probably real silver. If you think you have a shell cameo, check the setting for a quality mark indicating the item's gold content. This test is not recommended for large bars because while it will determine whether or not the surface is real silver, it will not tell you whether or not the core is real silver. "Thank you. Unfortunately, there’s no DIY test that guarantees a diamond is real without sending it to an independent gemological lab, such as GIA. 1. Silver metals will be marked with the word “sterling, an S, SS, the numbers 925 because sterling silver is 92.5% silver compounds. To create this article, 26 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Jewelry-making has been part of the artistic tradition of many Pueblos and Nations for over a century. 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. ", "Helped because I wanted to see if my bracelet was real silver. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. If it tarnishes quickly, then it is real silver. The Spanish first introduced silversmithing to Navajo and other Native American Indian people in the Southwest. Your retailers should tell you whether the pearls you’re buying are real or fake. Take the item to a jewelry store or pawn shop, and ask to have the item tested with nitric acid. Look for hallmarks. The tips that follow will show you how to tell if it's real silver or fake silver. This test works well with coins and bars but will be harder to perform on silver jewelry. Neither gold nor silver are magnetic so if you hold a piece of jewelry to a magnet and it sticks, then it is fake. At Pearl-Lang, we DO NOT sell imitation or fake pearls. Since the coin has cracks, that was easy. The oxidization of … This is because of the copper the silver is mixed with to keep it hard and durable. Buy a silver acid test if you want to confirm the material is silver. I had no idea how to tell if, "I just found a bag of silverware and miniature salt and pepper shakers with sterling marked on the bottom of the, "It was very helpful. What people usually refer to as fake gold is jewelry that is made of another metal (such as nickel, copper, silver, etc.) This is because real silver has a very weak magnetic effect. Metallographic analysis applies the principles of metallography in the identification of fake gold. Bracelets • Necklaces Look for the "925" or "Sterling" Stamp The markings for sterling silver can be stamped with the word “sterling” or with a number that denotes the purity of the silver, like “92.5”or “925”, for example. How do I know if something is actually silver? It did help me to do my best to identify silver. Silver makes a really lovely bell-like ringing sound when it … Rub your silver on the surface of the black stone so that it leaves a thick and relatively large deposit on the stone. Thank you for the help. References If it’s the real thing, all genuine sterling silver jewelry will have the .925 sterling silver stamp. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. So, unless you are buying from a reputable dealer (who wouldn't want their business to go under for selling fake items), then trusting the symbols or numbering alone isn't a good idea. If a description of a gemstone claims that it is real, but it is from a country other than its known origin, you should be very skeptical and consider it a replica. I will be getting a home testing kit now as I feel this would be the most conclusive. This can be done with an unglazed ceramic plate. Otherwise, it is fake. Fineness stamp will be either 1-999 or .1-.999 and karat will be 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, or 24K. Most sterling sets have stainless or good quality steel blades -- only the handles are sterling. Jewelers from the United States will include the markings, but some other countries may not. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,456,080 times. ", "All of this was helpful, especially the different tests at home or when in the field. How can I tell if something is actually silver? One of the first things you can do when you acquire a new piece of jewelry is to … A common type of fake gemstone is the opal. Real sterling silver is also prone to tarnishing. No reaction indicates the necklace is real gold. "Thank you so much for the information! Use a soft, light-colored cloth to rub the item. Scroll down to Step 1 to begin testing your silver. Learn more... Perhaps you bought a piece of silver online from a dodgy site, or your friend gave you a piece she found. Are there different markings on silver in different countries? Your procedures for testing silver were extremely helpful. ", shakers. When a silver plated item gets worn, it will show a different color metal in some areas on the piece. The copper reacts to oxygen, moisture, and sulfur in the air. I have a silver coin which I plan to drop and listen to. However, this shouldn’t be the ultimate test to confirm that a piece is real or fake. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Markings. Approved. ", "I didn't realize that there were so many ways to test silver. Thanks so much, I will sleep better tonight! By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. This article has been viewed 1,456,080 times. all new jewelry designs ». Another caution tip to keep in mind is that lead is actually softer than gold and a deep indentation could mean that it is gold-plated lead and not really gold. For gold jewelry, a reaction that changes the color to green means that the piece of jewelry is either made out of a base metal. Simply apply bleach to a silver product. It is easy and costs nothing. The easiest way to conduct this test is to place a real silver coin and a potentially fake silver coin side by side. After rinsing your skin well, apply sodium bicarbonate or baking soda to the area of skin that the nitric acid touched. Whether you purchase jewelry from a store, a pawn shop, or at a real estate sale, you should be able to tell real precious metals and gemstones from the gold or silver plated metals and replicas. No, not always. A black streak indicates that the gold is fake and a gold streak means it’s real. If you are still unsure whether the jewelry piece is made out of real or fake gemstones and precious metals, seek a second opinion. Metallographic Analysis: This technique has wide usage and can be found in literature [3] where it has been used for detection of fake gold and silver coins. In the United States, for example, pieces containing less than 58.3% gold (10 karats) are not considered gold for commercial purposes. If the cloth shows black marks, the item is probably sterling silver. If the item is authentic, it will be made of solid silver and will not show any other color below when wear occurs. Thank you. Smell them. It depends on when and where it was made. On the other hand, you might have received a box full of jewelry from an aunt or grandmother who passed and want to know which pieces are real. ", https://www.goldenstatemint.com/the-difference-between-pure-silver-sterling-silver-coin-silver-junk-silver-and-silver-plating.html, https://www.sellyourgold.com/faq/my-items-gold-silver-or-platinum, https://terpconnect.umd.edu/~wbreslyn/magnets/is-silver-magnetic.html, https://www.moneymetals.com/precious-metals-buying-guides/how-to-test-gold-and-silver-at-home, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M52FucUYMs, https://www.sbcgold.com/blog/test-gold-5-simple-ways-spot-fake-gold/, https://www.ishor.com/TestGoldScratch.php, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veiw9StMxJU, http://www.silvercoins.com/fake-silver-coins-14-ways-to-spot-counterfeits/, Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Next, touch a strong magnet, like a rare-earth magnet made out of neodymium, to the silver. Be sure to select or purchase a plate that you do not mind damaging and you might want to consider purchasing a cheap plate for this purpose instead of using one of your own from home. I have bought some items online stamped sterling silver from a reputable company, and several of the items are magnetic. Does silver plated dinnerware have any value? Last Updated: March 2, 2020 Instructions. This was very informative, "I did the easiest and eco friendliest test, the ice test worked quite easily and you gave me the best help choices, "I've just found this site and I feel better to have some knowledge about silver, gold and platinum. To test silver, look for a stamp with the numbers 925, 900, or 800. We've been helping billions of people around the world continue to learn, adapt, grow, and thrive for over a decade. Since then, the Pueblos and Tribes have developed their own unique styles and perfected techniques that they pass down from generation to generation. For precious metals such as silver and gold, the most obvious thing to be aware of are any markings on the metal to identify them as real and not fake. TIP: Examine the clasp of a necklace and the inside of rings and bracelets to find a marking of sterling silver. ", "Very important information. Place your jewelry in a stainless steel container and add one drop of nitric acid to observe any reaction. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f2\/Test-Silver-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Test-Silver-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f2\/Test-Silver-Step-1.jpg\/aid1449917-v4-728px-Test-Silver-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"