How to Tell If Silver Is Real
How to Tell If Silver Is Real
When shopping for silver, it's essential that you know what signs to watch out for. With just a few simple tests you can determine whether an item of jewelry or other products contains genuine silver.
Tarnish and Flakes
Silver can tarnish, or flake off, when exposed to oxygen and sulfur compounds found in air or atmosphere. This effect can become particularly evident on antique or artisan pieces; however, these reactions are temporary and can be reversed with a few drops of bleach solution.
Test the authenticity of jewelry without risking your health by dabbing a Q-tip with some drops of bleach and applying it directly against its surface, waiting a few minutes and seeing whether the silver tarnishes immediately or blackens at all - that could indicate real silver!
Smelling Metal Coins
When holding up a piece of silver to your nose, its scent should not contain any trace of metallic odors - this is one way of telling whether it truly is silver-made rather than manufactured from other metals like gold or steel.
Sniff Out the Gold And Platinum
When hunting for coins made of gold or other precious metals, it is crucial that you smell for their scent. With coins this can easily be done by running your hand over or placing fingers into their center; with jewelry this may require placing both hands within its middle and sniffing.
When purchasing silver bars, it is also essential to carefully inspect their scent. A magnet will stick to metal surfaces; if a magnet clings to your silver bar when running over it, that could indicate you have bought counterfeit product.
Eddy Currents Are Strong and Slow
To conduct a magnetic test on silver items with attached neodymium magnets, you can conduct a simple magnetic examination. A strong and slow magnetic field created by this type of magnet will cause it to slip down the bar gradually - this is a sure sign that your piece contains genuine silver without other metals or alloys present.
Non-Metals Precious Can Stick to Magnets
Certain non-precious metals, including copper and gold, will adhere to magnets. Items like this may be plated with silver or gold plating to give an appearance of greater value.
Magnets will stick to items made of steel framed watches or necklaces coated in silver or gold plating; however, running one over items made entirely from copper may not be worthwhile.
Apart from magnet tests, there are other indicators of genuine silver when testing jewelry or other items purchased in stores. When purchasing silver jewelry or other items you should be able to perform these tests within minutes.