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Differences Between Silver Rings and Sterling Silver Rings

Buy Silver Rings — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:25:15 +0000

I am often asked what the difference is between a “regular” silver ring and sterling silver rings. In most cases, there is no difference and the majority of silver jewelry is actually sterling silver jewelry, whether the seller knows it or not. There are, however, several differences in the quality of some silver jewelry that are important to keep in mind, and some rings and other “silver” jewelry actually don't contain any real silver. Here are some tips to consider when purchasing silver rings and jewelry to insure you're really getting what you pay for.

First, be wary of “silver” jewelry that is dark in color or doesn't look like other silver jewelry you've seen. There are shady characters out there who will sell you “silver” rings when they don't contain any silver at all. More often than not, the sellers get away with this underhanded practice because the color of the ring is technically silver – but they won't tell you that's the only thing silver about the ring. Unless the ring is stamped or has the brilliant white shine of a nice piece of silver jewelry, insist that the seller verify whether or not the ring contains any real silver.

925 Sterling Silver Filled S50 AK11 Emerald Cocktail Engagement Ring US Sz 65
US $5.90

925 Sterling Silver Nose Ring Hoop 5 16 Twist Wire 22G
US $10.99

Rainbow Moonstone 925 Silver Ring UK Size N 1 2 The Jewellery Mall D241
US $14.20

DAZZLING TOPAZ SILVER 925 RING70
US $24.99

SIZE 7 BRAND NEW RHODIUM PLATED 925 STERLING SILVER CHAMPAGNE ROUND CUT RING
US $9.99

TWO TONE SIMPLY 925 SILVER RING OF UK SIZE N US 65 J3406
US $20.52

ATTRACTIVE TANZANITE SILVER 925 RING70
US $24.99

Silver Celtic Claddagh Mens Ring Irish sz JLNPRTVXZZ3Z4 925 wedding
US $41.99

Sterling Silver Celtic Cross Ring Irish Sz LNPRTVXZZ3Z4 925 jewellery
US $29.99

SUPER STAMPED 925 SILVER PINK SAPPHIRE SET RING SIZE R
US $18.95

TWO TONE BLACK ONYX 925 SILVER RING OF UK SIZE R US 85 J3419
US $18.94

LAPIS LAZULI 925 SILVER RING OF UK SIZE R US 85 J3386
US $17.36

PRETTY STAMPED 925 SILVER CZ SET RING SIZE N
US $11.04

100 SOLID 925 STERLING SILVER GREEN COPPER TURQUOISE GEM RING SZ 7 STAMPED 925
US $3.99

925 SILVER UNUSUAL REAL MIXED STONE RING N
US $16.58

Next, be wary of “silver alloy” jewelry. This is not the same as normal silver rings and definitely won't be sterling silver (otherwise they would advertise it as such). Most of the time, silver alloys used in rings and other jewelry will contain very little silver at all. The most common reason for this is to take advantage of unknowing buyers who are fooled into thinking the silver ring is more valuable than it really is.

Another thing to know is that “silver plated” jewelry is not the same as sterling silver jewelry. “Silver Plated” means just that – that the ring or necklace contains an outer plating of silver – and who knows what's underneath. With advances in technology and an electroplating process, the silver plating on some jewelry is so thin that it can be scratched off to reveal the metal underneath. Since silver is a very affordable precious metal for jewelry, most “silver alloys” and “silver plated” jewelry should be avoided in favor of sterling silver.

Also understand that sterling silver is not pure silver – which is a good thing in this case. Sterling silver actually contains 92.5% silver, with more durable (but less valuable) metals mixed in. The reason for this is that pure silver is too soft to make lasting and durable jewelry, so the extra metals actually help in creating a more functional ring or necklace that's both timeless and beautiful.

So there you have it, while most silver rings and jewelry are in fact sterling silver, that's not always the case. The good news is that once you've seen a beautiful piece of sterling silver first hand, the unique appearance of this brilliantly white metal is such that it'll make identifying other pieces of silver jewelry (and spotting fakes) that much easier.

925 Sterling Silver Filled S50 AK11 Emerald Cocktail Engagement Ring US Sz 65
US $5.90

925 Sterling Silver Nose Ring Hoop 5 16 Twist Wire 22G
US $10.99

Rainbow Moonstone 925 Silver Ring UK Size N 1 2 The Jewellery Mall D241
US $14.20

DAZZLING TOPAZ SILVER 925 RING70
US $24.99

SIZE 7 BRAND NEW RHODIUM PLATED 925 STERLING SILVER CHAMPAGNE ROUND CUT RING
US $9.99

TWO TONE SIMPLY 925 SILVER RING OF UK SIZE N US 65 J3406
US $20.52

ATTRACTIVE TANZANITE SILVER 925 RING70
US $24.99

Silver Celtic Claddagh Mens Ring Irish sz JLNPRTVXZZ3Z4 925 wedding
US $41.99

Sterling Silver Celtic Cross Ring Irish Sz LNPRTVXZZ3Z4 925 jewellery
US $29.99

SUPER STAMPED 925 SILVER PINK SAPPHIRE SET RING SIZE R
US $18.95

TWO TONE BLACK ONYX 925 SILVER RING OF UK SIZE R US 85 J3419
US $18.94

LAPIS LAZULI 925 SILVER RING OF UK SIZE R US 85 J3386
US $17.36

PRETTY STAMPED 925 SILVER CZ SET RING SIZE N
US $11.04

100 SOLID 925 STERLING SILVER GREEN COPPER TURQUOISE GEM RING SZ 7 STAMPED 925
US $3.99

925 SILVER UNUSUAL REAL MIXED STONE RING N
US $16.58

How to Tell if Your Silver Jewelry is Real Silver

Buy Silver Rings — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:01:29 +0000

This is another question I'm often asked – How can you tell if the silver ring (or other jewelry) you're buying is real silver? The answer, unfortunately, is not so easy but there are several steps you can take to increase your chances of buying only real, quality silver jewelry.

The first and easiest method is to compare the silver jewelry with another piece that you know for a fact is real silver. Silver polishes nicely and provides a brilliant shine with a white tinge. Once you've purchased a few pieces of real (usually sterling) silver jewelry, you'll be able to identify most other real pieces of silver just by looking at them. Silver rings and jewelry also have a specific “feel” to them. They aren't too light and not too heavy. While this isn't 100% reliable, it can still help when sorting out the real silver jewelry from the fakes.

Ok, maybe comparing a prospective piece of jewelry with known silver isn't the easiest method. If you have good eyesight or a magnifying glass, it may be easier to look for markings on the silver. Most sterling silver will have a marking that tells you what it is. This may be the standard mark for sterling, a unique “maker's mark”, or the numbers “925” (sometimes stamped as “.925”). If the ring or piece of jewelry is stamped with “925” or the word “sterling”, you can be pretty sure it contains 92.5% silver and is indeed real sterling silver jewelry. I would recommend carrying a magnifying glass (or small jeweler's loop) whenever inspecting jewelry as the markings (if any) are sometimes very tiny and difficult to read with the naked eye. If you are buying silver rings or jewelry online, make sure that quality photos are included. Today's digital cameras can take great close-up images of silver jewelry, showing without a doubt any marks that are stamped on it. If the images don't show any markings, ask the seller if the piece is stamped and if they will send you close-up pictures of the markings. While sterling silver jewelry is not always stamped, most of it is and is a reliable way of ensuring you're getting what you pay for.

One more method of determining if a piece of silver jewelry is real silver or not is known as the “ring test”. This is more difficult to learn and takes some practice but with enough time and patience, it can be used to successfully determine if that jewelry you're looking to buy is real silver or not.
The “ring test” is so called because of the distinctive sound silver jewelry makes when it comes in contact with a hard surface. The easiest way to check the sound silver makes is to hold it a few inches above a table or suitable surface and then drop it. The problem with dropping silver pieces is you may damage them if there are fragile design elements and most silver sellers will frown on this. So instead, you can hold the silver loosely in one hand, then tap it with your fingernail of the other hand. This will produce a similar result, while not as loud and distinctive as the drop test.
All real silver produces the same distinctive ring sound when dropped or tapped and while not the most desirable or easy to learn test, it can still help determine if that piece of jewelry is real silver or not.

Of course, there are other tests that can be used to determine if silver is real or not (like an acid or chemical test). But the tips above are quick and simple and work in most all cases in most any situation. Hopefully after reading this you're better prepared to identify real silver jewelry and well on your way to building a quality silver jewelry collection.

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US $2.00

Premium Kyanite 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry Ring Size 8
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Fancy Blue Sunstone Blue Topaz 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry Pendant 15
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Wholesale jewelry 10pcs 925sterling silver ripple Necklace Chains 24 inch 12mm
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Premium Larimar 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry Ring Size 9
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Unique Black Copper Turquoise Peridot 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry Earrings 1
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Fancy Brazilian Emerald Blue Topaz 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry Pendant 15
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CARIBBEAN LARIMAR JEWELRY 925 STERLING SILVER PENDANT MARBLED PATTERN
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JEWELRY JUNKIE WINTER CLEANING STERLING SILVER NECKLACE W OCEAN PENDANT NWOT
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PRETTY OVAL RUBY PENDANT 925 STERLING SILVER JEWELRY SILVERNMORE INC X516
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Premium Mystic Topaz 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry Ring Size Adjustable
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Original Black Copper Turquoise Peridot 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry Earrings
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Fancy Citrine Peridot 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry Pendant 12
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Premium Orange Copper Turquoise 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry Ring Size 10
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Wedding Engagement Jewelry Round Cut White Topaz 925 Sterling Silver Ring Sz 7 O
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