Are you thinking of buying an antique silver piece for your home, want to buy silver ornaments, or willing to gift something valuable for someone special? Then be sure that you are buying real silver or is it artificial.
You might be amazed by the sparkling designs of silver pieces at unmatchable prices that make you feel that you are a master of treasure hunters. But all that shines is not silver and it will be tricky to identify the real one, especially with the one that has been in use for decades. With some expert tips, you can definitely tell how real the silver is and distinguish it from the fake.
With this article, you can know the methods to identify the real silver.So, how can you tell real silver when the market is flooded with lookalikes? You’ll find the answer in simple visual, smell, and touch tests explained below.
Knowing Types Of Silver
Silver is available in various forms and each of them has unique properties and uses. Sterling silver is the most popular silver because of its unmatchable shine and durability. This alloy of silver is made up of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals. This is often termed as traditional sterling silver and is ideal for making silver items due to its easy workability and lustre.
Fine silver, on the other hand, has the “999” marking and is the purest type of silver. This is specifically used in making silver ornaments but is very expensive. But it is very soft and brittle and vulnerable to wear and tear. For this reason, it is not applicable for daily use and many prefer silver plated jewellery.
Silver plated jewellery is made from a thin layered silver over any other base material. It will look exactly like the original and pure silver but is available at a much lower price. Though this looks like real silver it cannot withstand the test and also cannot be as valuable as fine silver.
How Can You Tell Real Silver Or Fake?
Knowing your silver is better than knowing the highest quality silver and making the right decision before buying.
If you are struggling with how you can tell if it’s real silver or fake, here are the best ways to know. Though each of the silver looks alike there are still many major differences. The best way to recognize real silver is to check its hallmark.
Sterling silver generally comes with 925 hallmarks means it contains 92.5% silver composition and fine silver has 999 hallmarks indicating that it is the purest form of silver with 99.9% silver content. On the other hand, silver-plated items don’t have any of these hallmarks or have different markings indicating their lower value and authentication.
Can you tell real silver just by seeing it? Differentiating between sterling silver, silver-plated, or real silver may seem tricky but is significant. Sterling silver exhibits a bright and metallic shine and develops a patina after some time. This is due to the reaction of silver when exposed to air or sulphur-containing materials. This will often lead to a common question: why does silver turn black after years of use? This tarnishing is the natural feature of sterling silver.
But silver-coated or fake silver will tarnish unevenly and lack its shine over a period of time without the warm patina or the proper aging process as that of real silver.
How To Test Silver At Home?
Wondering how can you tell real silver without expert tools or a lab? These easy at-home tests will guide you. Testing silver at home is not rocket science. You don’t need any special skills or expert tools to test silver at home. There are many simple ways to examine silver at home to differentiate between real silver items and imitation items.
Given below are some of the simplest tests to identify the real silver:
1. Magnet Test:
The precious metals including gold, copper, and silver are non-ferrous means they don’t contain any iron and hence don’t get attracted by magnets. Take some magnets and place them near your silver items. If your silver gets attracted to a magnet then it is not a real silver and has traces of other metals. Since plated silver or fake silver is made up of other metals, it is easy to identify the real silver with this method.
2. The Stamp Test:
Check the stamp or markings on your silver items if you are not sure whether they are real silver or artificial. In commercially sold silver, you can notice one or more than one hallmark that signifies the purity of sterling silver.
It also contains the markings of silversmiths or manufacturers and other markings that represent the date of manufacturing or any additional information.
These numbers show the purity of your silver. Sterling silver has more than 92.5% purity. Many international silver retailers mark their silver like 925, 900, or 800.
3. The Odor Test:
The pure silver or sterling silver is odorless. This is the best and the easiest way to check the silver at home. Smell the silver if you have any doubts about your silver item. If you get a smell of sulfur or any other metallic scent, then your silver is not sterling silver and it might be made from other metal.
4. The Ice Test:
Take the ice cube and put it on top of your silver item. Due to its higher thermal conductivity, the silver melts the ice cube. If the ice melts quickly at room temperature, then it is a real silver. This test will easily distinguish real silver from plated silver.
5. The Polish Test:
The silver needs regular polishing because it easily gets oxidized and tarnished. Once you are done with the magnet test, check the hallmark or stampings, now you can go for the polish test. Use a soft and clean white cloth to rub the tarnished silver. If the black residue doesn’t remain on the white cloth, then your silver may have impurities.
Polishing silver items enhances its incredibility but the rust or lack of oxidation shows that it contains other metals.
6. The Flake Test:
Some silver-plated items have a coating of true silver. Are you able to see the flakes in your item that show other hidden metals under it? If you are able to scratch the silver and notice the metal under the flakes, then it is made from silver plated and it is not sterling silver.
Gather some flakes and keep them in an acid. If the colour of the acid remains the same then it is pure silver.
Apart from these tests, you can also go for trusted jewelry retailers who use professional tools and methods to test your silver.
Final Thoughts
Silver is a bright, attractive, and shiny metal that can be easily molded to create unique designs. Whether you have antique silver jewelry inherited from your grandparents, a silver coin, or a candlestick in your attic, then it is important to check whether it is true silver. You can perform many tests at home that tell whether the silver is real.
By now you might have got the answer for how can you tell real silver. Right? If you found a piece of silver and were wondering about the quality or purity, then perform the tests yourself and identify how to distinguish between real and fake silver.
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Qs)
Q1. What Are Real Silver Items Made Of?
Silver is a soft metal and is not suitable for making many articles that you want to use regularly. Hence, many of the silver items are made with a silver alloy or sterling silver that is 92.5% pure silver mixed with 7.5% of other metals like copper or nickel.
Q2. How To Tell If Something Is Real Silver?
If you are about to buy a piece of silver or already own it, there are simple tests to check for its purity and authenticity. The tests like magnetic test, visual test, stamp test, and ice cube test, are to name a few. These help you understand how can you tell real silver accurately.
Q3. Does Real Silver Have Any Unique Properties?
Yes, pure silver has a different lustre. It is soft and easily scratchable. It has no odor. Real silver has a high thermal conductivity that makes it unique from other metals.
Q4. Can Silver-Plated Items Pass The Magnet Test?
Silver-plated items may or may not be magnetic. Silver is non-magnetic and if your silver-plated items get attracted to magnets, then it is not silver.
Q5. Does Real Silver Tarnish?
Yes, Real silver gets tarnished due to a chemical reaction when exposed to air or sulphuric substances in the air.