So how can I be sure?

Silver jewellery is not cheap. It requires a fairly large investment on your part whether you are buying a sterling silver earring or a necklace. But it is clearly a good investment, as its value increases over time. What is very important, however, is not to be fooled into buying counterfeit sterling silver jewellery.

This is a recurring issue as many jewellers are known to sell counterfeit sterling silver necklaces, rings, earrings and so on. Sterling silver is much cheaper than more expensive metals such as gold, and yet fake imitations of sterling silver jewellery are something that is sold in markets around the world.

For example, it is common to come across silver plated jewellery that is sold as real sterling silver jewelry. The jewellery itself has only a minimal silver content and will deteriorate over time, sooner or later.

It is therefore important to know how to identify genuine silver from counterfeit copies, with this knowledge you can avoid being scammed when purchasing your jewellery.
Here are some ways that can help you do just that - to identify genuine sterling silver jewellery.

1. First of all, rub the jewelry with a soft white cloth.

If you notice that the jewellery discolors on the cloth, then you can be sure that it is made of genuine sterling silver. This is because air exposure causes real silver to oxidize. This causes them to deteriorate over time, and the reason for black marks is on the canvas they are polished with.

2. Do a test with nitric acid.

When drops of nitric acid are added to counterfeit non-silver jewelry, they will lose their color. Always ask a jeweler before buying silver from him if you can perform nitric acid test on the jewelry.

Nitric acid has no effect on the real sterling silver jewelry, so if the jeweler intends to sell you a real product, he did not have any objections to this. But be sure to wear gloves and protect your eyes with goggles while doing the test with nitric acid.

If the jewelry is made of genuine sterling silver, the part on which you drip the nitric acid will appear cream-colored, and if it is talk about fake jewelry, it will appear with green color.

3. You can also use a smell test.

Genuine silver Real silver should not smell anything. If it does, it's because there's too much copper in it.

4. Use a magnet test.

This is a simple test. Magnets have no effect on silver - just as they have no effect on gold or platinum. But if you think that jewelry is attracted to the magnet, then it will be clear to you that it is not made of real silver.

5. Silver hallmarks

Real sterling silver jewelry has markings such as " 925 silver ", " 925 ", " S925 " or " Sterling Silver > "written on a hidden area. If you do not see such a label, be careful.