People have always loved jewelry, mostly if it is special metals such as gold. Did you know that gold is not the only thing popular when it comes to jewelry? Some people are more attracted to sterling silver. Some people associated sterling silver with being “too expensive.” The use of silver has been linked to luxury for years. Remember the phrase “silver spoon”? It is associated with wealth and luxury.
What makes it special?
Sterling silver is made of 92.5 % silver and 7.5% made of other metal alloys, usually copper. However, why not a 100% silver? Silver needs to be combined with other metals because pure silver alone makes it hard to design it. Silver is very soft and malleable. For silver to be shaped into beautiful designs, a bit of hardness should be added – the reason why copper is added to it.
Sterling silver, like gold, is also a good investment as it doesn’t come cheap. It’s an investment because it increases its value over time. One important thing to note is to make sure you are not buying fake sterling silver as they are very rampant in the market today. Pieces of jewelry with a minimal amount of silver will deteriorate with time. That is why it is important to make sure you are not buying fake sterling silver.
Here some ways on how you can make sure you are buying authentic sterling silver:
- Rub the jewelry on a soft white cloth. When you do so, check if there are visible black marks. If yes, you can be sure that it is made from real sterling silver. Sterling silver will oxidize when exposed to air, causing a black mark on the cloth they are polished with.
- Conduct a nitric acid test. A drop of nitric acid can identify whether the jewelry is made of genuine sterling silver. Fake sterling silver will lose its color with just a drop of nitric acid. When buying, ask your jeweler to do the nitric acid test for you.
- Smell the jewelry. Real sterling silver doesn’t have an odor. When you smell something, chances are, there is too much copper on it.
- Use a magnet. Like gold and platinum, silver isn’t attracted to magnets. So when you use a magnet, jewelry made from silver should not come close at all.
- Check for marking. Jewelry made from sterling silver has markings hidden in certain areas such as “Ster” or “925”. If you don’t see any markings, it is probably a fake.
Whether you are looking for accessories that you can use every day or a timeless piece that you can keep for years, you probably can find something made from sterling silver. The good thing with sterling silver is that they are popular which means, you can keep up with the latest trend. Whatever the latest style of jewelry today, there is always something that is made from sterling silver. Want to always look your best? Make sure you keep a few sterling silvers pieces in your jewelry collection.