For a long time, silver has been used to bring an aura of class to the wearer. As far as making a fashion statement is concerned, sterling silver jewelry does it beautifully - as long as it is genuine. It would be very embarrassing to buy fake sterling silver jewelry and have it fade in glamour, compared to the genuine ones. Ensuring that you have bought genuine sterling silver jewelry will enhance your social standing and it will also give you value for your money. In any case, you will feel more confident with the genuine type.
Unfortunately, there is no shortage of fake silver jewelry on the market. It is therefore important that you are careful when you are buying the jewelry. That notwithstanding, there are ways in which you can ensure that the piece you have is of the genuine type. The following is an outline of these tips:
• Carrying out the acid test - due to the influx of cheap imitations of sterling silver jewelry in the market, it has become imperative that consumers take a lot of care when they are buying this precious metal. A nitric acid test can be used to determine the authenticity of the jewelry. You can do the test by on your own, although it is highly recommended that you leave it to a jeweler, as he has the necessary expertise. Rubbing a small portion of the silver jewelry vigorously and then applying small amounts of nitric acid will determine the genuineness of the piece. Authentic pieces will produce a cloudy grey color, while fakes turn the liquid green. It is important however that you use a part that would not be noticed easily.
• Relate to the stamp law - it is important that you acknowledge that the law has made it obligatory that silver jewelry makers incorporate a 925 stamp on their pieces. The 925 signifies that the piece has 92.5 % silver. Alternatively, it could be stamped ‘sterling’. It is important to note that the stamp could be at any point and therefore you need to check carefully.
• Buying only from vendors of repute - getting the sterling silver jewelry from vendors of good repute is important as far as ensuring that the pieces are genuine. It would definitely be important that you do some research to help you in this endeavor. Consulting friends and relatives could help you in this.
