How to check if your silver jewelry is real 925 silver

A lot of jewelry sold as "silver" in Pakistan is actually brass, copper or white metal with a thin coating. It looks fine in the shop and turns dark or green on your skin a few weeks later. Most of the time you can spot it before you buy.

First, what 925 means

Pure silver is too soft to hold stones or keep its shape, so jewelers mix in a little copper or another metal. 925 silver (sterling silver) is 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal. That is the standard for good silver jewelry all over the world.

Look for the stamp

Real sterling pieces are usually stamped 925, S925 or STER. Check the clasp, the back of a pendant, or inside a ring or bangle. Small studs often have no room for a stamp, and a stamp can be faked, so treat it as a first clue rather than proof.

Try a magnet

Silver isn't magnetic. If the piece jumps to a fridge magnet, it isn't silver. If nothing happens, that's a good sign, though some cheap metals aren't magnetic either.

The ice cube trick

Silver moves heat very quickly. Put an ice cube on a flat part of the piece and watch: on real silver it starts melting almost at once, much faster than on steel or brass.

Rub it with a white cloth

Plain silver darkens slowly in air, so rubbing a hidden spot with a soft white cloth usually leaves a faint grey mark. Don't worry if a rhodium-plated or gold-plated piece leaves nothing. The plating sits over the silver and stops it tarnishing.

Feel the weight and look at the finish

Real silver feels solid in the hand. Settings are neat, edges are smooth, and stones sit straight. A price that seems far too low for the size of the piece usually is.

When in doubt, ask a jeweler

Any jeweler can check silver in a couple of minutes with an acid test or an electronic tester. Please don't try acid at home. It's dangerous and can mark the piece.

Plated silver is still silver

Many of the nicest silver pieces have a gold or rhodium finish on top. Underneath they are still 925 silver. We explain the difference in 925 silver, gold-plated or rhodium-plated.

Every piece we sell is handcrafted in 925 silver and checked before it's packed, and the finish is written on each product page. Here are a few plain sterling silver pieces:

If you'd like to see and feel the silver yourself, come to our shop on Ghalib Road in Gulberg. You can also read about our quality or keep your pieces bright with the care guide.