At some point, you've probably heard about 925 silver jewelry or sterling silver. But do you know what they really mean? It is important to know and understand these kinds of terms before making an online purchase, mainly to know if what we are buying is of a certain quality or another. That is why in Planderful we want to help you and we will explain briefly what is 925 silver and why it is so used in jewelry.
What do 925 silver and sterling silver mean?
First, it is important to explain what is pure silver. In that case, we are referring to that which has a silver purity of 100%, so it is excessively malleable and therefore not used to make jewelry. Essentially because pure silver would be too weak and soft, and the design could easily deform. To avoid this, in jewelry, this precious metal is combined with other metals, as it is often mixed with copper. This combination is done to subtract that excess of malleability while maintaining a high degree of silver.
The degree of alloy between this precious metal and the other metals will determine the degree of purity of the jewelry. In this sense, you can find 950, 925, 900, and 800 silver (light silver). When we say 925 silver, we mean that the jewel has 92.5% silver and the rest of the other metals. So, to sum it up, for every 1000 parts, 925 of them are pure silver.
When we say sterling silver, we mean that the jewel has a minimum purity established by law, according to each country. For example:
Sterling silver: is the one that has a minimum of 92.5% silver.
Second-grade silver: has between 80% and 92.4% purity.
The 925 or sterling silver hallmark
In 1300 in the United Kingdom, when due to the large amount of counterfeits that were found in the market, the English government established a legal system to classify silver. This regulation was extended to different countries until it became almost global.
Today, the type of contrast varies from country to country, and some countries do not even use this system. The standard is to find contrasts with the degree of purity in thousandths (silver 925, 950, etc.) and within a rectangle punched to the silver. If the jewel is made in 925 silver, it is normal to find this type of contrast in the jewel itself. But it does not always happen, even if they are made in 925 sterling silver. It is normal that it happens in certain rings, or in earrings, or other small pieces. That is why you should buy from safe and trusted sites like Planderful.
Why is silver usually used for jewelry?
As we explained above, depending on its degree of purity, silver will be more or less malleable. If it is pure, with 100% purity, it would not be possible to make a piece of jewelry because it would be too weak. This would mean that the jewel could be easily deformed.
To bypass this, it is mixed with different metals. Silver 925 is widely used in jewelry and by craftsmen because it has a high grade of precious metal. Silver 925 is also very popular because its consistency and its rigidity make it especially suitable for designs and for the durability of jewelry.
How do you recognize 925 silver?
It is important to know if the product we are buying, whether it is a piece of jewelry or a coin, is silver or not. Many times the product, when one sees it, may seem to be made of this precious metal, but the reality is that it could be made of another metal or simply silver plated. For this reason, it is more difficult to know if it is exactly 925 silver (and not 900, or 950, etc.) unless you look at certain elements that today in Planderful we will tell you.
We will give you some tips or tricks so you can distinguish a 925 silver jewelry from one that is not. You will not be able to know if the jewelry you have bought really has the percentage of silver you have paid, but you will know if it is close to it, or if it is a fake.
Look for the 925 stamp
Look for the stamp with the 925 inscriptions on the jewel you want to buy, although as we said before, not having it does not mean that we are dealing with a forgery. For example, if the jewel is small or delicate, it may not be stamped.
Smell of silver
You can smell your jewelry to know if you are in front of authentic silver jewelry. Silver does not emit any odor, so if your jewelry smells like metal, be suspicious.
The magnet test on silver
Bring a magnet close to your jewelry, if it sticks to the magnet strongly it means that it has a large amount of metal. Silver has a very weak magnetism, so it hardly has to stick to the magnet.
Do the nitric acid test
If you throw a drop of nitric acid on a genuine 925 silver jewelry, nothing will happen to it. On the other hand, if the nitric acid touches a piece of another material, it will leave a mark. If you see that the liquid turns a green/turquoise color, you can say 100% that you are looking at a fake piece of jewelry.
The color that the silver should take is reddish/rust. This will guarantee that our jewelry is sterling silver of 925 thousandths.
Buy your silver jewelry in a trusted jewelry store
Buy your 925 silver jewelry from reliable sites, jewelry stores, or sites with verified reviews. Avoid buying silver jewelry in places that do not offer 100% confidence. At Planderful we offer the best quality jewelry at excellent prices.
Now that you know what is 925 silver you can buy it with more knowledge and criteria. Visit Planderful's website and find a variety of fine jewelry for you.
