# 1 What is 925 sterling silver?
Contrary to what many people think, sterling silver also known as 925 silver, is an alloy, not pure silver. "925" means that this material contains 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other strong metals. Because sterling silver is too delicate, it cannot be used alone. If it is not combined with another metal, objects made of pure silver can easily bend and break, so silver is often mixed with other metals to make it stronger.
ROSE GOLD CUBIC ZIRCONIA TINY STERLING SILVER RINGS FOR WOMEN ETERNITY STACKABLE ENGAGEMENT BANDS
ROSE GOLD STERLING SILVER ENGAGEMENT RINGS WITH CELTIC KNOT 4MM
# 2 What is gold 925?
Sometimes you will see gold jewelry with the "925" logo. This simply means that the jewelry is gold-plated silver, not pure gold. The mark is to indicate the purity of the underlying metal, not the purity of the coating. This metal is often used to make beautiful costume jewelry. Some people will tell you that 925 in gold means that the project is made up of 925/1000 parts of gold, or, in other words, 92.5% of gold. This is not true, it is a misunderstanding. 925 is not a recognized value for gold purity and it has nothing to do with any ordinary carat number used to indicate the purity of gold.
# 3 How to identify fake sterling silver jewelry?
Being able to discern the difference between fake sterling silver jewelry and a real sterling silver ring or sterling silver necklace can save you a lot of trouble in the future. Look at these steps that you can take to make sure your sterling silver jewelry is real.
1. The simplest test is to use a magnet. Attractive and lustrous metals, such as silver, gold and platinum, are non-ferrous material, which means they are not magnetic. Put the jewelry close to the magnet, if it is attracted, then it is not pure silver. It may be stainless steel, highly polished to make it look like silver.
2. Genuine 925 sterling silver jewelry usually has a certain mark to indicate its purity. These marks include "925" or "S925", indicating the presence of 92.5% pure silver. Of course, without these marks, it does not necessarily mean that it is not sterling silver. If there is some official seal on the jewel, it is probably true sterling silver.
3. Rub a small portion of the jewelry with a soft white cloth. If there are black spots on it, then your jewelry is pure silver. This is because 925 silver is oxidized when exposed to air, which is the main reason why silver jewelry fades over time and stains black.
4. There is another test that is more dangerous, but if you can find the right material, then there is no problem. Drop a little nitric acid on the jewelry. Silver-plated or low-quality silver items may turn green because of the high levels of copper present. The real 925 sterling silver jewelry will turn into a cream color.
