Gold is out, and silver is in! This has been the fashion trend for the past few years. Indeed, while sterling silver chains do not rival its golden counterpart in terms of value, it does have in terms of popularity.
Silver Chains Equals Quality
These days, getting silver chains can be rather costly. But if you are one of the many people who give importance to quality over price, this can be a very good investment. The popularity of silver chains and other accessories have given rise to silver plated jewelry pieces and, unfortunately, some that are sold as sterling silver pieces even if they are actually not.
To make sure that the silver chain you are getting is made of. Sterling Silver, or a cheap fake, here are some ways on how to check your jewelry piece.
Check for the Mark
Silver jewelry pieces, including silver chains would often be branded by a small "925" marking. This is usually place on the jewelry pieces where they are less likely seen. In the case of rings, and some bracelets, the 925 marking is usually found on the inside part of the ring or bracelet. For .925 silver chains, the marking is usually found on the clasp of the chain. These markings are extremely small and oftentimes, you may need a magnifying glass to check this out.
Acid Test
Since there are a lot of cheap imitations posing as sterling silver chains and other silver accessories and items, another way to test this is through a nitric acid test. You can ask your local jeweler to do the nitric test before you or you can do this at home. To do this, briskly rub a certain portion of the silver chain or silver item that you would like to test. It is a good idea to do this on a part of the silver piece that is not easily noticeable. This would allow you to break the plating on top of most silver pieces which is placed to prevent it from easily tarnishing. Apply a few drops of nitric acid onto the scratch surface and check the results. The color of the liquid would tell you what kind of silver it is. If the liquid turns into a cloudy grey color, you are guaranteed that your silver piece is made out of sterling silver. If it turns green, it means that it is only silver plated.
Being on the Safe Side
To make sure that you are only given genuine silver chains and other sterling silver jewelry pieces, make sure that you only go to a recognized jeweler that specializes in sterling silver pieces. If you do plan on buying silver chains and other silver pieces over the Internet, it is a good idea do some research on the credibility of these online stores. Sterling silver does not come in cheap, and more often than not, the prices placed by these jewelers can be rather shocking. Nevertheless, it would make a great piece of jewelry that you can enjoy for a lifetime
