Determining If Sterling Silver Is Worth Money The one way of knowing whether or not your handcrafted sterling silver jewelry is real is if it is composed of 92.5 percent sterling silver. Quality sterling silver jewelry will never be 100 percent silver due to how pliable the metal is in its purest form. If you are concerned with whether or not you have purchased quality sterling silver jewelry; then take advantage of the following Tips for Testing Sterling Silver.
5 Tips for Testing Your Sterling Silver 1. Find A Magnet. Sterling silver, just like gold and platinum are not attracted to magnets if the jewelry stick to it, then you most likely invested in stainless steel. 2. Find The Marking. Real sterling silver will be marked with ".925" - "925" - "S925," somewhere on the jewelry. 3. Grab A White Cloth. Find anything white that you can put a marking on - once you have that, rub the jewelry on the surface and if it leaves a mark, then it is REAL sterling silver because it oxidized when exposed to air. 4. Think About What You're Spending. If you are being offered a deal that seems too good to be true when investing with sterling silver jewelry, it probably is - just make sure you proceed with caution. 5. What Does It Smell Like? If your sterling silver jewelry has a distinct smell, then it is not good quality. If it smells too much like copper, then it is composed of less than 92.5 percent of silver. With those tips in mind, make sure that you are not falling for the fake sterling silver jewelry wholesalers out there, because there are plenty of them!