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How to Identify Real Sterling Silver

Sterling silver has always been a popular metal. It's been used for many years in items from the smallest pieces of jewelry, cutlery, and flatware to rather large serving pieces. However, what we traditionally call sterling silver is not 100 percent pure. The composition of sterling silver is 92.5 percent pure silver and 7.5 percent other metal, generally copper. The small percentage of the copper or other metal gives the silver the hardness it needs to be functional. There are several ways of determining if a piece is made of sterling silver or another white metal.

Things You'll Need

Lab gloves
Lab goggles
Nitric acid in a dropper bottle

Instructions

- 1
  Look for marks. If it is made from sterling silver, it will be marked with a number, 925. This is an indicator of the amount of pure silver used. The piece may also be inscribed with the words "Ster," "Sterling" or "Sterling Silver".
- 2
  Perform the magnet test. Gold, silver and platinum are not magnetic, and will not attract a magnet. If the piece being tested holds a strong attraction to a magnet, it does not hold precious metal value.
- 3
  Pick it up. Real silver isn't heavy and it isn't very light either. Compare the feel to that of a piece of known silver to know what the weight should be.
- 4
  Test the metal with nitric acid if you are still unsure. Put on protective gloves and goggles to protect yourself. Add a tiny drop of the acid to an area of the silver that won't be seen afterward. The reaction between the acid and the metal will produce one of two results: a positive result that will look creamy in color or a negative result that will look green in color. A green result means that the metal is not sterling or any other type of silver.

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