Are you struggling to distinguish between silver plated and 925 sterling silver jewellery? And what is pure silver? We’re diving into what sterling silver actually is, how we use it in our jewellery, and why this should be on your wish-list!
How to tell if sterling silver vs silver plated jewellery is real
1. Look for the silver hallmark on the jewellery
The most reliable method for identifying genuine sterling silver is the hallmark. Authentic sterling silver jewellery typically features a '925' or 'sterling' stamp. These markings are strategically placed in less visible areas, such as inside rings, on necklace clasps and hidden on the back of pendants.
Pro tip: if you can't find a hallmark stamp, it's likely the piece is silver plated, or not silver at all!
2. Sterling silver weight: feel the difference
Sterling silver has a distinctive weight that sets it apart from silver-plated jewellery. The substantial and solid feel to sterling silver silver is noticeably different when held, from the much lighter silver-plated, or sometimes otherwise, low quality of 'fake' jewellery.
3. Is sterling silver hypoallergenic?
Sterling silver is hypoallergenic and rarely causes skin irritation whilst, silver-plated, or imitation silver jewellery often contains base metals that can trigger allergic reactions. If you're wondering if your sterling silver is hypoallergenic, often your skin can reveal the true nature of your silver jewellery - even if you don't have a true silver allergy. This is because true sterling silver doesn't turn your green and tarnish any orange, or coppery colours. When comparing which metals are best for sensitive skin, sterling silver is the best jewellery for sensitive skin and ears.
What is pure silver?
Pure silver, or also known as fine silver, is a metal made with 99.9% silver - however this is extremely soft and often not used in jewellery.
What is 925 sterling silver?
925 solid sterling silverThis creates a more durable and practical material for jewellery since pure silver is often too soft to be used in jewellery. With its hypoallergenic properties and long-lasting shine, 925 sterling silver jewellery often has a higher value compared to silver-plated, or plain silver, which contains less high quality silver (since it's only plated on the top layer of the jewellery) or mixed with a higher number of lower quality metals.
What is silver plated jewellery?
For silver plated jewellery, a base metal, usually brass or copper, is coated with a thin layer of silver on the top. Since this layer is thin, it can wear down quickly, exposing the base metals to chemicals and oxygen, which will then tarnish, turn skin green, or change the metals to other colours. However, due to the minimal silver used, these items are often cheaper to purchase and produce. It's often also mixed with lower quality metals, both on the base and top layer, and this often causes metal allergies, turns skin green and will tarnish quicker. This is something we stay away from with all our silver jewellery - instead opting for life proof 925 sterling silver.
How to keep silver jewellery from tarnishing & how to care for sterling silver jewellery:
To keep your silver and silver plated jewellery from tarnishing, make sure you follow the jewellery care tips and steps here:
- Store your silver jewellery in anti-tarnish bags
- Clean silver jewellery carefully with appropriate silver cleaning solutions
- Avoid exposure to harsh chemicals
- Keep your jewellery dry - even with silver waterproof jewellery, it’s still a good idea to be cautious with water. Keeping your silver jewellery dry will slow down the tarnishing process and prevent it from oxidising and the silver turning black.
Frequently asked questions:
Q: How to tell if silver is real at home?
A: To tell if silver is real at home, you can check for the 925, sterling silver hallmark stamp, perform a quick weight test and finally observe any skin reactions.
Q: Does sterling silver turn green?
A: Depending on the metals used to create your sterling silver, some sterling silver can turn skin and fingers green. This can be a chemical reaction from low quality metals present in sterling silver, such as copper, or skin chemistry and the acidity in your particular skin. Or even from poor jewellery care and even soaps and detergents. However, Elk & Bloom only uses a very high quality 925 sterling silver, which will never turn your fingers or skin green with tarnish.
Q: Is sterling silver waterproof?
A: Yes - 925 sterling silver is waterproof and generally safe for use in water, depending on the metals used to create your sterling silver. For Elk & Bloom, our 925 sterling silver jewellery is durable and corrosion-resistant, so generally safe to wear it whilst swimming, showering and even when sweating! However, in order to keep your waterproof silver jewellery looking as perfect as the day you bought it, we do recommend drying it quickly and cleaning it often, to keep it in life proof, tarnish free condition.
Speak soon!
Dominique xx