For months, you might have been saving your paychecks for a beautiful piece of engagement ring or for a necklace you plan to give to your special someone on a lovely Valentine’s date. You visit a store, see that gorgeous piece with a “925” engraving on it, and ready to make that purchase right away.
Hold your horses, amigo! I know it’s easy to fall in love with that treasure you’ve found. But how sure are you that it’s the real deal?
No doubt about it, 925 sterling silvers are great jewelry selection. They are commonly cheaper than most treasure pieces made from expensive metals, but still have that high quality, magnificent pizzazz and sophisticated shine you want. Despite the affordable price, fakes and imitations of these are out in the market. Do yourself a favor. Save yourself from all that trouble and please know your 925s.
How do you identify authentic 925 sterling silver jewelry from frauds? Here are a few things you can do to get hold of genuine ones and avoid getting ripped-off.
Malleability Test
925 sterling silver is a sturdy material that can’t be easily bent and dented. These are tough jewelry made from 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals, making it much more resistant from damages. It’s probably not a real 925 silver if you can bend a jewelry with your bare hands.
Smell Test
Try smelling it. 925s should not have a strong smell like a pure copper. If it does, perhaps it has silver material on it, but may have too much copper or other metals on it.
Magnet Test
You can always bring a strong magnet and try putting it near the jewelry. Silver should not be magnetized the same way as gold and platinum are because these are non-ferrous metals. If you want the jewelry, but it’s attracted to the magnet, let it go my friend. It’s not for you. Keep looking.
Cloth Test
Get a clean white cloth. Wipe the jewelry with it. See that black marks left on the white cloth? Those are marks of the legitimate silver. Silver and sterling silvers do oxidize from air exposure. As the silver oxidizes, the metal reacts and is left tainted and produces stains that can be seen if smeared with a cloth. If no black marks are left on that cloth, sorry. No tick mark for that authenticity test check box.
Nitric Acid Test
Ask the jeweler to conduct a nitric acid test for you. Don’t do it yourself as you might cause unwanted damage to an unsold jewelry or an unfortunate accident. The jeweler will be more pleased to prove their jewelry are authentic 925s. Think twice if he/she refuses to. Silver should not produce a green color if comes in contact with nitric acid. If the area dropped with the substance creates a creamy color, that’s a real silver.
Ice Test
Silver has a high rate of thermal conductivity. It can conduct heat at a very fast rate. Place one ice cube on the silver jewelry and one ice cube on the same table. The ice cube on the silver jewelry must melt faster than the ice cube on the table. If it takes too long to melt, take a step back from purchasing the jewelry.
Consult with a Professional for Assistance
You might want to seek for professional assistance for a more conclusive result. It is better to get help if you still are wary in buying the jewelry you chose. Choose a highly-recommended professional and let him/her assess the jewelry.
Keep in mind that looking for a jewelry is not as easy as it looks. Be cautious when you are choosing one and make sure that you’re getting your money’s worth from it. Most of all, only purchase from the best and reliable jewelry store. If you still haven’t found your trusted retailer, you have definitely come to the right place. We at Vivere Rosse, only offer the finest, authentic, and affordable 925 sterling silver luxury to enhance a stylish look. Browse through a wide selection of our beautiful products in VivereRosse.com and contact us at enquiry@vivererosse.com..