Sterling Silver, "The Real Nitty Gritty"

STERLING SILVER
THE REAL NITTY GRITTY

First lets establish exactly what Sterling Silver is. Sterling Silver is an alloy of silver that should contain 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metal. Usually the other metal is copper. Fine silver is pure silver and should be 99.9% silver. Pure silver is too soft to shape and stamp into jewelry parts or jewelry beads. A note about fine silver: unlike sterling silver, fine silver is very resistant to tarnishing.

When you hear terms like, "German Silver, "Indian Silver”, "Mexican Silver", or "Montana Silver," keep in mind that there is no guarantee of the silver content of these items. In my research, I found out that "German Silver" is another name for the alloy of Nickel, Copper, and Zinc and is usually referred to as Nickel Silver. Even though the name denotes silver, there is usually no silver content.

STAMPINGS ON YOUR SILVER, WHAT THEY MEAN:


Sterling components and jewelry made in the USA are often stamped "Sterling”.

Goods made for international trade are often marked "925" indicating the 92.5% fineness.

"Coin" silver is used in some countries and could be marked "900" or "800" depending on fineness.

In many countries, precious metal must be stamped with a quality mark such as "925" for sterling. Some countries require jewelry of precious metal be submitted to a governmental assay office for destructive testing, however there are no regulations in the United States.

REGIONAL SILVER MAKERS

Bali - Bali Silver is sterling silver mixed with pewter for a grayer tone and some copper. The total proportion of pewter and copper should not be more than 7.5%. Bali silver is prized for its intricate detail and great silversmithing. Bali artisans have passed the family tradition of silver beadmaking through generations. They construct their beads, pendants and other jewelry components with silver from regional mines. Be aware that there are now many cheaper imitations of Bali style silver on the market, most of which are cast (or "molded") instead of being fabricated by hand. The imitations are usually heavier and the detail is not as intricate. Armed with this tidbit of information should help you in making sure you are getting what you pay for.

Thailand- Thai Silver is often referred to as Hill Tribe Silver. It originates from various regions in Northern Thailand, near the borders of Laos and Burma (Myanmar). Like Balinese craftspeople, the silversmiths of Northern Thailand have built their lives around silver including mining and crafting it. Hill Tribe Silversmiths, like Bali artisans, create every facet of their components by hand and their designs are prized for design intricacy and detail.

TIPS TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR SILVER PURCHASES


German Silver can be scratched with a copper coin and remember, there is usually no silver in German silver. It is comprised of a mixture of copper, zinc and nickel.

.Indian Silver is usually mixed with lead and copper, it is heavier is weight, which gives it a more solid feel

.Mexican Silver is usually mixed with copper and the sterling content may vary.

.Nickel Silver does not contain any silver at all.

.Pewter does not contain any silver, but does contain a silver white metallic element that does not tarnish.

.Thai Silver should contain .925 silver content.

.Turkish Silver is Sterling Silver mixed with cadmium. Cadmium makes the silver lightweight and tarnish resistant.

If you will be purchasing a large amount of silver from a new dealer you’re not familiar with, it may benefit you to purchase a Nitric Acid test kit. It is very portable since it is only a single bottle. These kits are quite reliable for determining if an item is silver or if it contains any silver. Although these kits won’t tell you what the other metals are, it will definitely tell you what the item is not. Initially, I always purchase the smallest amount of an item I can, for test purposes. Once I’ve secured my sterling items, I make a slight nick in a hidden spot if I plan on keeping the item. Nicking the item will also let you know if you are purchasing plated items or not. It will also cut through any lacquer that may be on the piece. Use a small file to nick the area, and then place a drop of your acid on that area. When testing pure silver you should get a creamy color. Sterling Silver will test a hue darker but you should still get a cream color. You should only do this test when you have access to water since you will need it to rinse your items when you are finished. Once you’ve finished testing the piece, the chemicals may leave a slight whitish or grayish discoloration on the item. This can easily be remedied by buffing the piece.

Having a retail store where I resale my sterling, I feel obligated and compelled to be knowledgeable about what I am selling. This test has definitely helped me eliminate the fakes and add only legitimate Sterling vendors to my roster.