Whether you want to give a silver ring to the one you love, or you already own one, the question on everyone's lips is: is it real? With the counterfeit market, jewels for sale made from poor-quality materials are unfortunately commonplace. So how do you know if your jewel is really made from the precious metal? Before buying a ring, or to determine whether your silver jewelry meets all the criteria for authenticity, here are a few tips to help you decide.
The hallmark guarantee
Let's get one thing straight right off the bat: the24-carat pure silveris too soft to be used in jewelry. To give it rigidity, it is alloyed with copper. In France, the law requires the presence of a punch on jewelry weighing over 30 grams to certify its silver content. Like gold and platinum, silver is identified by its own hallmarks. If the hallmark features a Minerva head framed with the figure 1your jewel contains 92.5 % silver worth 22 carats and deserves to be called sterling silver. This percentage of purity goes down to 80equivalent to 19 caratsif it's the number 2 under the same hallmark.
However, unlike jewelry such as a silver necklace for women or a bracelet, it is very rare that rings for womenwith a rather slim profile, reach 30 grams. Fortunately, there are other ways to test the composition or value of this object. Just follow the guide!
All that glitters is not silver!
When in doubt, start by making sure that the silver in your ring is not imitation! How can I do this? One of the properties of silver is its sensitivity to light. Under the effect of oxidation, metal surfaces tend to tarnish and blacken over time. The simplest test? Run a piece of white flannel cloth over the jewel. If a black trace is left, the presence of silver is not in doubt. Even more conclusive is the bleach test: a single drop, preferably on a hidden area, will reveal the presence of silver thanks to a strong blackening. Conversely, a silver jewelry will not change color if left for several hours in a glass of water with added salt. You can even buy a chemical acid test used by jewellers. The process involves rubbing the object against a special stone and depositing minute particles of metal. The acid reaction confirms the presence of silver, or not, according to the color obtained.
Silver or silver-plated metal?
All these tests will guarantee the presence of silver... on the surface, but not at the heart of the jewel. If you can't see inside, you'll have to use another method to ensure that your ring is indeed solid silver.
The magnet test
The magnetic property of metals applies to a few metals, including nickel and iron-based alloys. The classic method for detecting silver-plated metal is to approach a sufficiently powerful magnet. If it is attracted by the magnet, your ring is probably made of steel under a silver plating.
Wear and tear
If the ring is rather old, in the case of an heirloom for example, it is possible that on the areas in contact with the skin, the metal shows pronounced wear. A silver-plated object will then reveal the color of the metal beneath the silver film.
The verdict
Your ring is well solid silver ? Congratulations! If, on the other hand, all these procedures have failed to give you a clear idea, and if you really want to know the exact percentage of silver in your ring, you should contact a professional jeweller, who will be able to analyse the quality of the material precisely, and whose expertise will dispel any doubts!
