How to Spot REAL Sterling Silver Rings from Fakes [Also, WHACKY Cleaning Tips]

Many of us are aware of the name, ‘sterling silver’. We may even own jewelry made of sterling silver but may not know the details about this metal. In this post, you will learn all about how to buy and take care of sterling silver rings for women.

What Is Sterling Silver?

Sterling silver is the finest quality of silver suitable for making jewelry. It is durable and has a brilliant luster and shine.

Pure silver is a very malleable (soft) metal and is unsuitable for making jewels. When you add copper to silver, we get the alloy, sterling silver.

Sterling silver has 92.5% of pure silver and 7.5% of copper.  This addition of copper makes the silver less malleable and improves its strength and durability. Though it is quite affordable, sterling silver is a precious metal.

Reasons for using sterling silver

 

It is hypoallergenic – Some precious metals have metals such as brass and nickel added to them. Such base metals can irritate skin and cause discomfort to people who have sensitive skin. sterling silver over 92.5% of silver and the remaining part is mainly copper. Therefore, it is hypoallergenic and is safe to use.

Variety of designs – Since silver is softer than other precious metals (with a hardness index of 2.5-3 on the Mohs scale), it is easier for jewel designers to experiment, mold sample patterns, and test them. You can always expect new design-trends in sterling silver jewelry for every season.

It is durable – Sterling silver contains almost 92% of pure silver and is soft. Usually, alloys such as copper and steel are added to make it more durable. It is much easier to design jewelry with sterling silver than with pure silver.

Sterling silver is versatile – This versatile metal has a neutral tone that makes it suitable for making rings and jewels with almost all the precious stones!

Affordable price – Unlike gold and platinum that are very expensive, sterling silver is available at nominal prices. Silver is mined extensively; hence the affordability of sterling silver.

The difference between sterling silver and silver-plating

The market has many fake sterling silver jewelries, so it is imperative to know the difference between real sterling silver rings for women and silver-plated rings.

We refer to sterling silver as 925 sterling silver because it has a composition of pure silver (92.5%). Silver-plated rings are made of nickel or copper alloy and are covered on the exterior with pure silver.

Silver-plated rings and jewelry will tarnish and lose their shine in course of time.

How to buy and take care of sterling silver rings for women

• Check for the hallmark – This is the most dependable tests to confirm the quality of sterling silver rings. Look for the hallmark number “925” imprinted on the ring or any jewel. You may need to use magnifying lens to verify the mark. Authentic rings could be marked as “sterling silver”, “Ster”, or “Sterling”.
• The color-change test – If you are more scientifically inclined, you can do the ‘acid’ test, literally! Wear protective gloves and safety goggles and add a drop of nitric acid to a small area of your sterling silver ring. Nitric acid is corrosive and will react with base metals that may be present in sterling silver. If that area turns green or red, then it is NOT real silver.
• Check for magnetism – Genuine silver is not magnetic. When you place your 92.5 sterling silver ring near a magnet, there is no attraction to the magnet.
• The simple ‘cloth’ test – The easiest test to check for original silver jewelry is by rubbing the sterling silver ring on a soft piece of light-colored cloth. If black specks appear on the cloth, be assured that the jewel has genuine silver.
• The ice cube test – Silver is a metal with high thermal conductivity when compared to many other metals. A simple test with ice cubes can be done on sterling silver ring at home. When you place an ice cube on the flat surface of the ring, the ice should start melting immediately.

How to take care of sterling silver rings for women

Genuine silver is prone to tarnish over time, especially when it is in frequent contact with water. This is because pure silver reacts with oxygen and oxidizes to silver oxide.

However, sterling silver has a finishing coat of rhodium that makes it tarnish-resistant. Rhodium belongs to the family of platinum and is the reason for the glossy finish of sterling silver rings for women.

Sterling silver rings are very popular because of the versatility and timeless charm of this metal.

To keep the metal in its pristine shine, follow the guidelines on how to take care of sterling silver rings for women –

1. Clean your sterling silver rings

Sterling silver rings and other jewelry discolors because of its reaction with Sulphur and moisture in the air. Copper in sterling silver causes tarnishing of the jewel. Therefore, it is necessary to clean your sterling silver rings periodically.

Silver polish is readily available in the market but you can make your tarnished sterling silver rings sparkle like new using these common household things too!

• Laundry detergent and aluminum foil – Line a bowl with aluminum foil. Fill the bowl with hot water and mix a spoon of laundry detergent to it. Soak the silverware or jewel in this solution for a minute. Then rinse with water and pat it dry.
• Cornstarch – Make a paste of cornstarch and water. Apply this paste on the sterling silver ring or silver jewelry with a damp cloth. Allow the paste to dry, then rub it off with a rough towel.
• Lime soda – Immerse your sterling silverware in a glass of lime soda for an hour and rinse with water.
• Hand sanitizer – Add a few drops of hand sanitizer to a soft cloth and clean the tarnished sterling silver jewelry.
• Toothpaste – Toothpaste cleans teeth and it can clean sterling silver rings too! Squeeze a small amount of toothpaste on a cloth and polish your silverware. Then rinse with water.
• Chalk – Silver rings and jewels tarnish because of exposure to moisture. Keep a few chalk pieces in the box or drawer where you store your silverware. Chalk absorbs moisture and keeps silver from tarnishing. It is an interesting logic and it works!
• Tomato ketchup – Yes, you read that right. Using ketchup to clean sterling silver rings and silverware has been around for ages. The acetic acid in the ketchup (vinegar) is responsible for the polished effect. Even citric acid (lemon juice) will produce a similar shine.

2. Store sterling silver in a dry, cool box – As pure silver oxidizes over time, store your sterling silver jewelry in a dry bag or a box. This will keep the moisture out as well as ensure there are no accidental scratches.
3. Avoid contact with chemicals – If cleaning with household cleaners make sure there is no ammonia or bleach in them.

Browse through an array of designs and patterns of sterling silver rings for women at https://www.annakors.com.