There are large amount of replica jewelry existing in market. It is necessary for the customer to know some easy techniques to determine your sterling silver jewelry is real.
In 1851 Tiffany and Co launched the first tiffany jewelry which contained 92.5% silver. Since then the sterling silver had become popular. Sterling silver can also be called 925 silver, which consist of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other alloy. The added alloy is used to improve the luster, brightness and hardness of the silver.
After polishing, the sterling jewelry can show a very pretty metallic luster. It can also be set with precious stones to become a high-end jewelry. To maximize profits, some jewelry maker may mix cadmium, iron, copper or other cheaper metals in silver. For example, the fake cheap tiffany jewelryis produced at a very low cost, while sold with the price of real tiffany jewelry. Although this phenomenon is not widespread, but consumers should still have some way to identify silver jewelry. When a customer buys sterling silver jewelry, he can use the following 5 ways to determine the sterling silver jewelry is real.
1. Checking the color:
The higher purity of silver, the whiter color the jewelry has. Real silver jewelry usually shows a uniformly brightness. While it will show blue gray if mixed with lead or show brisk red if mixed with copper.
2. Checking the weight:
The density of the silver is slightly larger than other common metals like copper and lead. So checking the weight of the sterling silver jewelry can be the initial step. If a jewelry has a large size but relative light weight, it is probably made of other metals.
3. Checking the hardness:
The hardness of silver is lower than copper, but higher than lead and tin. Using a pin to scrape an inconspicuous place in jewelry, if it is very difficulty to leave a mark on the surface, the jewelry is probably made of copper. If a mark can be made by scraping and the mark is also very obvious, the jewelry is probably made of lead or tin. If the mark is not so obvious, then the jewelry is probably made of silver.
4. Checking the metallic sound:
The real sterling silver metallic sound is usually light, soft and clear. While other metals are usually sharp, boring.
The above four methods are effective in most cases. But the best way is to do chemical test directly. This test can be performed by some official authorities. When customer buys tiffany silver jewelry, he or she should also check whether the tiffany jewelry has some relevant certifications or not.
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