There are a few ways to determine if your silver-tone jewelry is created from genuine solid sterling silver, if it is simply silver-plated, or worse yet, is fraudulently advertised as .925 sterling silver. Read on for details...
1. Fine silver (99.9% pure) is too soft for use in jewelry designs, so sterling silver is used by jewelers to create high-quality silver jewelry. Sterling silver is an alloy that is created by combining pure silver with another metal to provide increased strength and durability. Sterling silver jewelry should contain a .925 quality stamp, meaning that the composition contains 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. The .925 or STER quality stamp is regulated and mandatory on all sterling silver jewelry produced in the USA. Often the .925 stamp is quite small and may require a magnifying glass to view clearly. The mark will likely be placed in an inconspicuous location. Check for the .925 quality stamp on the clasp of a bracelet or necklace, the back side of a pendant, or the inside of a ring.
Unfortunately, it is all to easy for fraudulent overseas manufacturers to falsely label a counterfeit silver item with a .925 sterling silver quality stamp when in actuality, the item is created from a plated base metal. Given this reality, you're going to need to rely on more than the .925 quality stamp to ensure that you are purchasing genuine sterling silver.
2. Under US federal law genuine sterling silver jewelry must also contain the jeweler's hallmark stamp along with the .925 quality stamp. The jeweler's hallmark stamp is a maker's registered mark that identifies their work.
3. Use a soft polishing cloth to assess the authenticity of sterling silver jewelry. Genuine sterling silver will naturally darken/tarnish with time as it oxidizes with air. This tarnish can be easily removed with a silver polishing cloth to restore the original brilliance of the piece. Sterling silver jewelry will produce black marks on the cloth.
4. Like gold and platinum, silver is not magnetic. An ordinary refrigerator magnet may not be strong enough to elicit a response, so use a heavy-duty magnet to conduct this test. Heavy-duty magnets may be found at your nearest hardware store. If the piece of jewelry that you are testing is attracted to the magnet, it is not sterling silver.
5. Genuine sterling silver is odorless. While copper is a common alloy in sterling silver, .925 sterling silver does not contain enough copper to produce an aroma. If your silver-tone jewelry smells like an old penny, it's not sterling silver.
6. Pay close attention to the coloring of your silver jewelry. Sterling silver is usually warmer in tone and not quite as shiny as silver plated items. Genuine sterling silver, has a distinctive greyish color while most plated baubles have a brighter hue due to the application of rhodium plating. If a piece of sterling silver looks too white, it is probably an imitation. If there areas on the item where the color appears to have flaked away, your item is silver plated rather than solid sterling silver.
7. Sterling silver has a positive reaction to nitric acid, while silver plated and other non silver metals will have a negative reaction to this chemical. Nitric acid tests may be purchased online for a nominal fee. This is the most accurate test that you can perform on a piece of silver jewelry, however, it should not be your first choice as it is necessary to file/scratch your jewelry to perform this test. Nitric acid will remain cloudy and colorless when tested on the exposed area of sterling silver items. Nitric acid will turn various shades of green and begin to bubble on non sterling silver items.
8. Genuine sterling silver jewelry doesn't come cheap. One obvious tip off of imitation sterling silver is its pricing. If the price of the item seems too good to be true, it probably is. Shop wisely and purchase your sterling silver jewelry from a reputable US retailer.
Click or tap here to learn more about how to clean and care for your sterling silver jewelry.
We welcome you to explore our collection of artisan crafted inspirational faith-based sterling silver jewelry skillfully made in the USA and available online at clothedwithtruth.com.
Anyone out there with an small online business should order something from these fine folk as a lesson in how to get and keep a customer for life. They have got customer service nailed 100%. I had a few items that I needed ordered custom engraved for the kids of my sister who passed and Deborah and Rhett went out of their way to make my wishes a reality. Communication was second to none. Items arrived beautifully gift boxed and the recipients were in tears with delight at the finished products. Order without thinking twice. Deborah and Rhett will make sure you are taken care of as if you were their only customer. Thank you D and R and continued blessings for you and your business. Jon
5 stars is not enough!!! It was truly a pleasure dealing with this company. Ordering was easy and the time from ordering to receiving the item was extremely fast. The necklace was exquisite. You can tell they love what they do and really care about their customers. You will NOT be disappointed.
This company is wonderful. Service was great, got exactly what I ordered in a very timely fashion. Received email updates from the time I ordered until it arrived. Business with a personal touch! Ordered a second piece to give to a family member. Will definitely shop here again!
I can't give enough stars for this shop!! Amazing customer service, great communication, and an obvious Christian based shop! I would 100% recommend just based on this! We received the necklace and it was beautifully wrapped and my daughter loved it. Great quality and beautiful! We will definitely be ordering for Clothed with Truth again! Thank you Deborah and Rhett!
I absolutely love this company! I have ordered from them three times. I love the attention to detail in the package that arrives. I have only ordered custom bracelets, but they are perfect every time. I love the handwritten sentiment on my order form. I love the option to make a custom item and the variety of fonts available. I love the extended size option, as well. The customer service is outstanding. I really just cannot say enough positive things about this company and their products. The speed in which I received my items was phenomenal, especially for a custom made item.
This company is the best company I have worked with in a long time. If could I would I would give them 100 stars. They were easy to work with, very kind and their main goal was to ensure I was satisfied with my bracelet. I did have to return my bracelet only because of my preference and they made the process so easy. They even called me to better understand what I wanted. It was an amazing experience. I would recommend this business to anyone and everyone. Thank you for displaying Christian principles in your business.
Best customer service I have experienced in a while! I placed my order for a personalized dog tag with a Bible scripture and the very next day I got a phone call from them verifying the proof they emailed me. They wanted to make sure that I was going to love it before they sent it to me! So kind of them to go the extra step...and the jewelry is Sterling Silver and not cheap junk. I will definitely order from them again. This company operates with integrity and kindness!
Amazing his/hers cuff bracelets. Exceptional quality, truly blessed company and professional but old school owners. Would definitely recommend Clothedwithtruth to anyone looking for jewelry that displays their love for Christ. Amen!
This bracelet is perfect for the women and teens in my life. The packaging is beautiful, too, saving me wrapping time. Shipped quickly and I received a personal phone call to help me clarify and update my order. The best customer service and personal touches I’ve ever experienced.
And in our world today we are so use to being disappointed it was breathe to my soul to receive these beautiful bracelets exactly as pictured and on time. While we know this isn’t always possible I particularly appreciated all the communication I received as the bracelets were in process and transport as well as the sweet note from the owners that was enclosed in the packaging. Thank you! You made me feel like I was getting a gift!
I reached out to the owners because I needed some larger quantities for an event. I was thrilled with the prompt and professional response. Deborah really was able to help with different choices and personalization's that made our gifts extra special. I cannot say enough about dealing with people who truly care about their customers --it SHOWS! It is a pleasure doing business with them, and everything I ordered was so very true to picture and much better quality than I was expecting for the cost. Really exceeded expectations!! I would highly recommend them for church groups, bible studies and anybody needing a beautiful gift. THANK YOU!
What a breath of fresh air to have a small business with excellent customer service. The item I ordered was shipped promptly. The day I received the item was a particularly stressful day so when I opened the package, I was pleasantly surprised to receive the item in a beautiful bag/box with a handwritten thank you note on the receipt. It certainly brightened my day and reaffirmed that there are good people in this world. I will definitely be purchasing again from Clothed With Truth. Thank you!
What a special place to shop!! Clothed with Truth was so helpful to me in ordering a gift for a dear friend. They are top-notch in customer service and support, going out of their way to send my order so it was received on time. My friend loves her new bracelet, too! They also enclosed a special gift note! Thank you for a great experience and I will be back!
This was the most thoughtful and meaningful company I have purchased from in quite a while. They were impeccable with customer service, showing care and concern through confirmation emails, and thank you cards included in the package. I was very impressed with the level of care taken through each step of the process. I truly appreciated this as the time of the purchase was one of loss and sadness. I am grateful for the pointed effort to reach out to their customers. This company is true to their name.
Everything about this order was absolutely perfect! The customer service is top notch. Seriously, the best I’ve seen in a very long time and I am an avid online shopper.
The extra details truly make dealing with Clothed With Truth such a pleasure! I will certainly let my family and friends know about their wonderful services and products.
From the moment I placed the order, I knew exactly what was going on with it and where it was.
The piece is absolutely beautiful! I am beyond excited to give it to my niece as she makes her First Holy Communion this Saturday! The bracelet came in a white box with a pink ribbon around it, PLUS a pretty gift bag!! But wait, there is even MORE!! They sent a penny with a cross in it and a wonderful blessing! That will be an additional gift to my niece...and so special and heartfelt. I hope she will have it in her shoe on her wedding day one day!
Again, just an overall wonderful service. HIGHLY recommend! You will not be disappointed at all. And last, but certainly not least, it arrived so quickly!! Just a few days.