The problem of fake silver
The market is full of jewellery that looks like silver but is not. Nickel silver, silver-plated, stainless steel with silver coating... How do you tell the difference without spending money on professional analysis?
Method 1: Look for the hallmark
Genuine sterling silver always carries a hallmark indicating its purity: 925 (the most common), 950, 999. Look for it inside rings, on necklace clasps, on the back of earrings.
Method 2: The magnet test
Silver is not magnetic. If you hold a magnet near your jewellery and it sticks, it is not silver. Period.
Method 3: The polishing cloth
Rub the jewellery with a clean white dry cloth. If it is real silver, the cloth will turn slightly black — that is the silver oxide you are removing.
What is nickel silver (and why it is not silver)?
Nickel silver — also called white metal, new silver or german silver — is an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel that visually mimics silver but contains no silver whatsoever.
What about silver-plated jewellery?
Silver-plated jewellery does contain silver — but only in an extremely thin surface layer over a different base metal. With use, that coating wears off.