How to Tell if Your Jewelry Is Actually Sterling Silver

Half the “silver” jewelry on resale sites isn’t silver. Here’s how to figure out what you actually have, in roughly the order of how easy each check is.

1. Look for the stamp (start here)

Real sterling silver is almost always stamped. Common marks:

• 925 (most common, means 92.5% pure silver, the legal definition of sterling)
• STER or STERLING
• SS
• 800 or 835 (European, lower purity, still silver)
• 999 (fine silver, soft, rare in jewelry)
• Lion passant (UK hallmark)

If a piece is unmarked, it’s not automatically fake. Pre-1900 pieces sometimes have no stamp, and some artisan pieces never got one. But for anything made in the last hundred years, no stamp means treat it as suspect until proven otherwise. (For gold-specific stamps and what they mean, see the gold filled vs plated vs solid guide.)

2. The magnet test

Sterling silver is not magnetic. If a magnet sticks to your piece, it’s not silver (or it has so much base metal mixed in that it might as well not be). This test rules out a lot of fakes in five seconds. It won’t catch silver-plated pieces (the silver layer covers a non-magnetic core), so use it alongside other checks.

3. The smell test

Real silver has no smell. If your piece smells metallic or coppery when you rub it warm in your hand, it’s mostly copper or another base metal. This is more reliable than it sounds.

4. The ice cube test

Drop an ice cube on the piece and another on a non-silver surface. Silver conducts heat better than almost any other metal, so the ice on the silver should melt noticeably faster. Works best with thicker pieces (chains too thin for the heat to register).

5. The tarnish check

Real silver tarnishes. A black or dark grayish patina on the high-friction areas (back of a pendant, inside of a ring band) is actually a good sign. Pieces that look pristine after decades of wear are usually not silver. Plated pieces tarnish differently, often flaking or turning greenish rather than darkening evenly.

6. The nitric acid test (last resort, also: be careful)

A drop of nitric acid on a hidden spot turns real silver creamy white. Fakes turn green. This is the test jewelers use, but it’s destructive and requires actual nitric acid, so it’s not recommended unless you’re committed. If you want a definitive answer without acid, a local jeweler will test it for you for free or a small fee.

Tests that don’t work (or aren’t worth doing)

• The bleach test. Yes, silver reacts to bleach. So do a lot of other metals. And bleach ruins finishes. Don’t.
• The sound test. “Silver rings clearer than other metals.” Maybe, but you need a trained ear and a controlled comparison. Not useful for a one-off check.
• The bite test. This is for gold, and it doesn’t really work for that either. Skip it.

What to do if you’re still not sure

Take the piece to a local jeweler. Most will test for free or a few dollars. For pieces under $50 of estimated value, the magnet + stamp + tarnish check is usually enough. For anything you’re thinking of buying or selling above that, get it confirmed before money changes hands. (Once confirmed, here’s how to price it for resale.)

Browse verified sterling silver on StillSparkly.