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Can silver be distinguished from base metal?

Silver is a precious metal that has been used both in everyday life and on an industrial scale from ancient times to the present day.

Not only female jewelry is smelted from this metal, but also contacts for especially precise instruments. It is very important to learn how to determine the quality of metal. Of course, factory workers will never make mistakes and will not confuse silver with counterfeit. So what do we do when we buy jewelry? Let's look at the main differences between a noble metal and fakes, so as not to become another victim of scammers and not acquire an imitation of precious metal.

How to distinguish silver from a fake?

Definitions of real and fake silver:

Silver - or Ag, according to the periodic table, is a simple substance that has a silver-white color.

The main characteristics of real silver:

• the substance is plastic;
• possesses good malleability and a certain degree of nobility;
• temperature - 960 degrees Celsius;
• the density of the substance is 10.5 g per 1 cubic meter. cm.

This metal has been known since ancient times in Assyria and Babylon, while silver was considered a sacred metal, magical properties were attributed to it. Later, during the Middle Ages, the precious metal was the object of attention of alchemists who tried to turn this metal, like others, into a philosopher's stone. But from the middle of the 13th century, silver became known to everyone thanks to its main property - disinfection. And from it, kitchen utensils, souvenir spoons, etc., began to be melted out immediately. Coins of silver also began to be issued.

Fake silver

Indeed, today silver is a very popular metal, and therefore, in the number of fakes is in the forefront. Instead of silver, metals such as aluminum, zinc or lead are very often used. Jewelry and other things are made from these metals, and the product is already coated with precious metal on top. Often fakes can give themselves out as a poorly affixed breakdown, which is visible very vaguely or completely blurry, erased, etc.

But the darkening decoration is not always a sign that you have fallen into the hands of scammers. If during the first darkening you brush your jewelry with toothpaste, it will surely take its original form, unlike a fake. You can always distinguish a precious metal from a fake, on the basis of chemical reactions, people over the years have come up with many ways to check the quality of jewelry.

How to distinguish a fake from a jewel?

You will need a lapis pencil. Swipe them over the silver jewelry: if the surface is darkened, then this is a fake. If there is no such pencil, then rub the product with ordinary school chalk, the real product will not change, but the chalk should blacken.

Sulfur ointment will also help distinguish a jewel from a fake. You can buy it at any pharmacy, but the experiment will take a couple of hours. Rub the product with ointment and leave for 2-3 hours. Wipe off the ointment and look at the product: blackened - present, there have been no changes - fake.

An easier way to distinguish a fake from a real jewelry is to scratch the product with a needle. If the silver-plated product is scratched with a needle, it will immediately give itself away. But it is worth remembering that some scammers impose a fairly thick layer of silver on top of the base metal, and it can be difficult to recognize a fake. In this case, draw the needle over the thinnest part of the product.

Also, ordinary iodine solution will help you distinguish a fake. Put a drop of iodine on your product and wait a few minutes. If the surface has not changed its color, then it is genuine silver, but if the metal turns blue, then this can mean that there is a fake in front of you, and that the alloy has too much “other” metal.

At home, to distinguish whether a fake in front of you or not, you can use boiling water. Dip the product in boiling water for 1 second, and then carefully touch it. The fake will remain barely warm, and real silver will be hot, as it heats up very quickly.

Of course, no one in the store will allow you to conduct such experiments with jewelry. When buying jewelry, turn it in your hands, if after such actions you have dark spots on your hands, then this is a sign of a large amount of zinc in the alloy.

Carefully consider the sample on the product, usually 925 is considered to be a silver sample, sometimes the sample is put in the form of a girl with a kokoshnik. As mentioned above, the sample should be clearly visible, if you have poor eyesight, then any jewelry store must provide you with a magnifying glass.

And the main advice - make such purchases only in large jewelry stores that have confirmed their reputation. If your city has a network of jewelers, then check back there, a chain of stores is already talking about the quality and status of the organization.

By silver is meant a noble metal, which is increasingly being counterfeited recently. Therefore, in today's material we will consider how to distinguish silver from other metals. By tradition, all actions will be carried out at home. Please share your experience through the comment form.

Ways to distinguish silver from other metals

Before determining the authenticity of silver, select the method that is suitable for home use.

No. 1. Dark marks on the skin

Since you can check silver for authenticity by a simple and understandable method, we’ll start with it. If, after wearing the jewelry, you notice that there are dark marks on the skin, most likely this product is made of zinc.

No. 2. Boiling water

If there are no stones in the jewelry, dip the silver into boiling liquid. Leave on for literally 5 seconds, then remove. If you have a real product, it will be very hot. The fake will become barely warm.

No. 3. Needle

Arm yourself with a needle. Swipe it over an inconspicuous area and evaluate the result. If the top layer has come off in the area of \u200b\u200bwear, this is not silver, but a brass counterfeit. Our noble metal will be left without a trace.

Number 4. a piece of chalk

To understand how to distinguish silver, you need to use simple chalk. Guide them through the product. Black marks should remain on the chalk, so you distinguish silver from other metals. If you performed the procedure at home, but nothing like this happened, then hold a fake in your hands.

No. 5. Iodine

If silver is present, it will react with iodine. Put a little alcohol solution on the decoration, it should darken. Keep in mind that iodine is difficult to clean from silver. If during the procedure the product has gotten stains and is cloudy, this is a fake.

No. 6. Sulfuric ointment

Before determining whether or not silver is in front of you, you need to buy sulfur ointment in a pharmacy. At home, apply the product on a silver thing. You should see that the decoration darkens a little. Fakes do not give any reaction.

Number 7. Lapis pencil

You can conduct an experiment using a lapis pencil, it can also be purchased at a pharmacy without any problems. Swipe in silver. No trace should remain on the pencil.

Number 8. Nitric acid

To conduct an experiment, you need to take a piece of jewelry and choose an inconspicuous place. Make a small file. Drip nitric acid. If the silver is of the highest quality, in this place it will turn black.

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How to choose silver when buying

Despite the fact that silver is a noble, precious metal, dark or black spots may appear on it over time. If you purchased a metal of good quality, then this is less likely to happen. Although, it cannot be said that this precious metal is not at all susceptible to darkening. The main reason for the loss of gloss and purity of the product is oxidation. There can be several reasons for oxidation. To avoid or prevent them, you need to deal with the questions: how to store it, how to care for silver 925, how to protect silver from the influence of external factors. In this article we will try to answer them. In addition, we’ll talk about how to determine the quality of a precious metal, its sample, how to distinguish silver from other metals or counterfeit.

Silver Storage Rules

The key to the long service life of precious metal jewelry is not only their proper wearing, but also competent storage, as well as knowledge of how to care for silverware. Following a few rules, you will learn how to store silver so that it does not darken. And save yourself from premature damage and metal contamination. These rules apply to any sample, as well as to metals that contain silver.

1. The best storage option will be a casket with soft inner compartments. It has the necessary departments and compartments for storing each product separately. The fact is, if you store jewelry all together, from excessive friction and pressure on each other, they can be damaged. If you have not purchased a box, you can wrap each jewelry in a regular bag and put in a dark place. Silver, unlike gold, is not afraid of polyethylene. Although, long-term storage is still not welcome. Shreds of soft tissue can also serve as packaging. But! Never store jewelry in cardboard, paper or viscose packaging. These materials contain sulfur, which reacts with copper.
2. An alternative to the box will be soft bags or varnished wooden boxes. Wood without varnish can also affect the condition of the metal.
3. Do not select places near radiators or air conditioners. Also, do not store silver on the windowsill. The best conditions are a dry, cool, dark place.
4. Activated carbon will suspend the oxidation process due to the absorption of the emitted gases. If you leave the jewelry for a long time, put a few tablets in the compartment where you store the jewelry.
5. Do not leave jewelry for a long time without attention. Despite the fact that in the sock, they are also susceptible to oxidation, the metal does not like a long absence of contact with the human body.
6. Do not forget to remove jewelry during prolonged contact with water, when visiting a bathhouse, sauna, spa, during cleaning, while using cosmetics.

Causes of Silver Oxidation

1. The addition of copper. The main element that leads to darkening of the metal is copper. It is her jewelers who most often use as impurities. This is done in order to make the precious metal harder and more durable. It is copper that reacts and starts the oxidation process in silver jewelry.
2. Interaction with the human body. Together with human sweat, a large number of different chemical elements are released, with which silver itself does not enter into a reaction. But the various impurities that are added to it are quite. Most often, it is copper. Copper is a very reactive metal. It reacts with a large number of elements and can lead to darkening of silver products. One such element is sulfur. It stands out, both with the normal functioning of the human body, and with some diseases. For example, with diseases of the kidneys or liver.
3. Nitrogen. This element is also highlighted with human sweat. It reacts with copper and can also lead to darkening of the metal. In some cases, nitrogen, on the contrary, can lighten the product.
4. Use of cosmetics. Creams, balms, lotions, perfumes, shower gels, detergents. All this can affect the state of decoration. It is advisable to remove rings and pendants while using creams or other cosmetics. They often contain, for example, titanium dioxide, which reacts with argentum sulfide and gives the reaction as a darkening of silver. Also, the element with which the reaction will occur is mercury. In small quantities, it is found in many daily products.
5. Therapeutic procedures with hydrogen sulfide. When visiting resorts where there are hydrogen sulfide baths or resorting to medical procedures in the form of hydrogen sulfide baths, do not forget to remove all jewelry. This applies not only to silver, but also to other metals. It is quite difficult to purify silver after interacting with sulfur.

How to determine the quality of silver

Today, the world of jewelry and jewelry is so rich, and craftsmanship is growing every year, that it is becoming more and more difficult to distinguish an original from a good fake. In order not to be deceived, consumers are increasingly interested in how to determine the quality of silver, how to determine the sample, how to distinguish silver from metal or jewelry, and also check the quality.

You can determine how high-quality metal you have acquired without using special tools and with them. Real, high-quality silver has characteristic features that allow us to say about its quality:

• Availability of sample. Any product that has passed a series of checks and certification is required to have a test or stamp. However, scammers have learned to fake a sample. Therefore, even a test is not always a guarantee of high quality.
• Thermal conductivity. Real silver instantly accepts the temperature of the body or substance with which it is in contact. Therefore, even in a jewelry store you can carry out this check. Squeeze a ring or other jewelry in your palms. If it quickly became warm, then the metal is natural. At home, you can lower the product into very hot water.
• Purity. Even blackened silver will never get your hands dirty. If you took the jewelry, and dark marks remained on your hands, it means that we are talking about silver plating. And the base metal is brass or copper.
• To make sure that this is genuine metal, you can hold a needle on an inconspicuous place of jewelry. If you see a dark, reddish or yellowish tint, then the metal is fake.
• Ringing. If you have the perfect ear for music, you can try to drop the silver item and listen to how it sounds. They say that the sound of real silver is comparable to crystal, the sound of which is sonorous and lingering, unlike ordinary glass.
• Magnet. Silver, like other precious metals, is a dimagnet. Only in the presence of a large amount of impurities will it react to the magnet.

Determination of silver samples using reagents.

A more reliable result will be given by the determination of a sample using reagents. They will allow you to check silver for authenticity at home.

Sulfuric ointment

Such an ointment can be purchased at any pharmacy. Apply ointment to the product and leave for several hours. Depending on the type of reaction, quality is determined. If the decoration turns black, then sulfur has reacted with the ointment. So the product is real. If a red tint appears or no changes have occurred, then you are dealing with a fake.

Vinegar

Checking the metal for authenticity with vinegar is easy. It is enough to use 9% vinegar. If the metal does not react when interacting with it, then you have a genuine jewel in your hands.

Ammonia

With ammonia, checking silver is not difficult. After all, the metal does not react with ammonia, so nothing will happen to it. So, the metal is genuine.

Iodine

Iodine also reacts with copper impurities in the alloy. Therefore, if you drop it on the jewelry, it will darken. Depending on the degree of darkening, a sample is determined. The darker the product, the higher the sample of the metal.

a piece of chalk

You can determine the authenticity of the metal in chalk. If you rub the decoration with a piece of chalk, dark stains will remain on it. This suggests that silver is natural.

Nitric acid

You can check the silver with acid. It can be purchased at the pharmacy. This method is pretty accurate. The main thing to remember about precautions. If we are talking about checking rings or earrings, it is better to test on the back of the jewelry. The place where you will drip the reagent must first be scratched. Then, drip a couple drops of acid onto the damaged area. The green hue indicates brass with a silver coating or that it is cupronickel. Quality alloy will darken.

Ready composition

There are also ready-made compounds for checking silver for authenticity. It does not require any preparation, just follow the instructions in the instructions. In addition, such a composition is safe for human health. You can buy it at jewelry stores.

How to calculate a sample at home

Of course, the simplest solution is to contact a specialist. But if you do not have such an opportunity or have a desire to carry out this procedure yourself at home, you will have to resort to the use of chemical reagents and to the knowledge of physics.

Potassium Dichromate

A reagent with such a complex name is also called Chrompeak. Before using it, you must prepare the product itself. Degrease, clean and dry the jewelry. It is necessary to apply several drops of the reagent sequentially, with an interval of 2-3 seconds, wiping them with filter paper. If a brown spot appears, then you are dealing with a breakdown from the 500th to the 750th. If a red spot appears, then the sample is above the 750th. The more saturated the red color, the higher the sample.

Chlorine Nitrogen

This method is not as accurate as the previous one, but in general no less effective. The surface of the product under test should also be cleaned, degreased and dried. After applying the reagent, the reaction should be instant. Only in this case, not the subject reacts, but the reagent itself. And you need to look at the color of the drop. If it gives a very dark shade, then most likely we are talking about a high sample. The lighter the drop, the lower the sample. If the shade is yellow or brown, then you are dealing with aluminum or copper.

How to distinguish silver from other metals

From white gold

To distinguish white gold from silver, you must either be a professional or turn to him. Unfortunately, this is not possible at home. Visually, it is possible to distinguish white gold from silver in a jewelry salon only by carefully looking at some details. For example, white gold will shine more in the light. In addition, it is many times more expensive than silverware. They are also indicated by different numbers of the sample.

From cupronickel

Cupronickel and silver products are very easy to confuse. This is very often used by scammers. However, cupronickel has nothing in common except the visual component with silver. Cupronickel is an alloy of lead, copper and nickel. There is no sample on cupronickel. On it there is only an abbreviation of the alloy components - “ISC”. The difference between silver and fake is manifested when interacting with water or a lapis pencil. Cupronickel, when immersed in water, will leave a greenish tint on it. Lapis pencil - will leave dark spots. Also, iodine will give out a fake. Cupronickel will not interact with iodine, a dark shade will appear on silver.

From aluminum

Silver is more difficult to distinguish from aluminum, however, such cases are not uncommon. As with other tests, one of the simplest is a diamagnetic test. High-grade silver is not attracted by a magnet, aluminum - easily. You can carry out such a test at the purchase stage right at the jewelry store. It is also worth remembering that silver conducts heat very easily and quickly, which can not be said about aluminum. If both metals are immersed in hot water, the silver will heat up much faster and stronger than aluminum. A simple experiment at home can be done with acetic acid. If you lower a silver product into it, it will not react in any way. If the same is done with aluminum, it will oxidize and dissolve.

How to check a coin for silver

If you find a silver coin in your old chest, you can verify its authenticity at home. A silver coin can be checked in several ways that apply to ordinary jewelry:

• A piece of chalk. If you draw chalk over the surface of the coin, dark prints will remain on it. In this case, the coin is real
• Bleach. Since you can not worry about the aesthetic component of a coin, pour bleach on it. If the metal is real, it will darken.
• Sulfuric ointment. The principle of operation is the same as with jewelry. If the coin reacts with the ointment, it is genuine.
• Lapis pencil. If a reaction occurs, then the coin is real.

From technical silver

Technical silver is a metal that is not used in jewelry. It has 999 samples and, despite the high concentration of the precious metal, it can cause allergies in humans. Such an alloy is used exclusively in the technical field. If you are trying to sell jewelry 999 samples, in no case do not get fooled. It's a fake copy.

From palladium

Palladium can be distinguished from silver using chalk or a lapis pencil. These methods will reveal the authenticity of the precious metal.

From tin

Tin from silver can also be distinguished with a lapis pencil or sulfuric ointment.

From steel

It is more difficult to distinguish steel from silver than from other metals. In this case, methods with chalk, a needle, a lapis pencil will be effective.

From jewelry

The main difference between a precious metal and jewelry is the presence of a sample. If it is not, then you are dealing with jewelry.

Do you like silver? It is beautiful and noble! But they began to make samples relatively recently, and if you inherited silver items, bought them on occasion, or received a gift, then I would like to determine their true value. How to check silver for authenticity without resorting to the services of experts?

Jewelry made of silver has been appreciated at all times, do not lose popularity today. They made dishes, church utensils, jewelry. Even the ancient Persians, Egyptians and Greeks knew that silver has bactericidal properties, therefore, they actively used it in medicine, however, this property is also relevant in modern realities.

Argentum, or silver, in the periodic table is in the same group as gold and platinum. These precious metals are not subject to corrosion and are not oxidized in air.

Silver has always been considered a magical substance with mysterious and wonderful properties. It is not only famous for its healing qualities, but also absorbs the negative and helps purify the spirit. That is why it is used in church and temple rites in almost all religions of the world. And in the days of the Gentiles it was associated with the Moon.

Water infused with silver is healing, and its regular use can significantly improve health. By the way, on the ISS, astronauts drink only silver water. And in Japan, developed devices that clean air with silver ions.

Do you know that silver jewelry is superior to gold in popularity? Despite the fact that the shade of this metal is cold, people felt inner warmth and radiance, and with pleasure wore and continue to wear silver jewelry. Silver-framed gemstones are especially beautiful, they play with all colors, look catchy and contrasting.

Silver is versatile, jewelry from it is suitable for both women and men, appropriate for any outfit. It can be combined with enamel, gold, pearls and various stones.

Quality and Authentication Methods

Items made of pure natural silver are beautiful, but not practical. The fact is that this is a fairly ductile metal, it quickly loses its shine if it is not cleaned, and if it is not carefully worn, it breaks or deforms, and the pattern smoothes over time. Jewelers have long begun to use various alloys with alloyed silver.

Unfortunately, not all countries put samples, or the product may not be certified, made privately. Therefore, the question of how to determine silver at home, in some cases, becomes relevant.

In an inconspicuous place, a special seal is placed on the inside, which shows how much real silver is contained in the alloy. It consists of three digits and indicates the amount of precious metal in one kilogram. For example, test 925 indicates that 1 g contains 75 g of impurity and 925 g of pure silver.

What are the samples:

• 720 - base silver, 280 grams is copper. This alloy is very durable and is used in industry. It is not suitable for jewelry, and such jewelry will not be tried;
• 800 and 830 - cutlery is made from it;
• 875 - this alloy is often given out as white gold, having previously applied gilding;
• 916 - in Soviet times, table silver was made from it. Not currently used in jewelry;
• 925 - the most used test by jewelers;
• 960 - close to natural silver, soft and easily deformed. Used in art, relief compositions. Ornaments no longer make of it;
• 999 - pure silver, from which coins are minted for collections, bullion. It is used in industry and medicine.

In jewelry stores, each jewelry has its own passport - a small tag on a sturdy lace with a seal on which all parameters are indicated: weight, test, the presence of stones and their characteristics.

Thermal method

Silver has excellent thermal conductivity and quickly acquires ambient temperature. Hold the product in your hand, it will instantly heat up to 36.6 degrees. Dip hot water in cold or vice versa, silver will immediately cool or become hot.

By the way, the use of boiling water is a rather effective way. Extracted from it, the jewelry will burn your hands and cool quickly, adapting to room temperature. The fake will turn out to be just a little warm.

Real silver in a short time will melt an ice cube, which is completely impossible for cold metal jewelry.

Many substances react with silver, leaving traces on it.

Put a drop of iodine on the product and wipe it off immediately. On real silver, a black spot will remain, which will then be difficult to remove. The method is not very good, you can damage the decoration, use it on an inconspicuous area on the inside.

Swipe the silver with ordinary school crayon, genuine leaves dark stripes. Vinegar does not give any reaction when interacting with silver, and non-ferrous metals, on the contrary, are oxidized.

Sulfuric ointment

Sulfur based pharmacy also leaves traces. Wipe the place previously selected for testing with fine emery paper, apply the ointment for one to two hours. If there are no stains, then this is a fake made of stainless metal or nickel.

Magnet

How to check silver at home if you don’t want to spoil the product with stains? Very simple - use an ordinary magnet. If the thing is magnetized, then this is a fake. The method is quite common, but inaccurate, many non-ferrous metals also do not respond to the magnet.

With a needle

Jewelry is often made of various alloys, and on top they cover with a thin layer of silver. Take the needle and scratch the metal - the silver-plated layer is easily removed, and pure silver has a high density of material, and it is impossible to break the molecular layer with a needle.

Nitric acid

Use this test method with protective gloves. From a drop of aggressive acid, silver rapidly darkens, as the oxidation reaction occurs. The fake will hiss a greenish foam due to copper impurities in the alloy.

In a regular pharmacy or in specialized stores, you can find tests for checking metals. In our case, it is called “the silver test”. For proper use, read the instructions and carry out simple manipulations.

As a rule, you should slightly rub the test area with sandpaper and apply the reagent. After a certain time, you can evaluate the results by the color of the spot:

• shades of red - the product is genuine. The burgundy color indicates 925 test, and scarlet - pure silver without impurities;
• brown colors - light characterizes low-grade silver, and dark - natural brass;
• yellow - jewelry is made of tin or lead;
• blue - in front of you is nickel.

You see, it’s not necessary to be a chemist to check the quality with chemicals.

Checking old silver items

Nowadays, silver is affordable for all segments of the population, so there is no need to fake it, which can not be said about ancient jewelry or objects of art.

They can be found in an antique shop, private collections or with your grandmother in the flea market. Of course, they will not have a modern test, and the stamp of the master can be a fake.

It is better not to approach such objects with iodine or nitric acid. You should have knowledge about the era of that time, the specifics of the decor, and, armed with a magnifying glass, the connoisseur will be able to visually determine the authenticity of the silver thing.

Unfortunately, a simple layman does not have such knowledge, therefore, to determine the true value, you can take the little thing to an experienced jeweler or to experts for examination.

Mankind learned about the unique properties of silver more than 6000 years ago, and possibly much earlier. It has long been believed that this amazing metal is able to absorb negative energy, so it turns black. From the point of view of science, it reacts with substances and trace elements found in the human body. If there is an imbalance in the body, then silver is sensitive to all changes.

1. To reduce the heat, put a silver bracelet on your left hand.
2. Earrings improve alertness and concentration.
3. If you attach silver to your forehead, you can get rid of a headache and relieve eye strain.
4. The ring on the ring finger of the left hand strengthens the heart muscle.
5. If silver jewelry darkens quickly on a person, it means that he has health problems.
6. Silver utensils and appliances are good for your health.
7. Babies are given a silver spoon when the first tooth appears to strengthen the body. Of course, it must be used, not stored, as a souvenir.

Conclusion

Based on the considered methods, several conclusions can be drawn. Home methods are not fully effective. Some components react with silver and leave stains on it that are difficult to clean. Therefore, if you are faced with the task of checking silver or not, take the jewelry to an expert.

Silver things have been valued for centuries. And in our time, this noble metal remains very popular. Despite the fact that it is faked quite rarely, such troubles do happen. Therefore, it will be nice to learn how to check the silver for authenticity, so you can be sure of the quality of the selected product.

In this article, you will learn about the simplest and most effective ways to detect fake.

To find out if real silver is in front of you, you can still leave the store according to the following criteria:

• Sample.   All silver items should have a mark on which the number is indicated - the percentage of silver in them.
• Thermal conductivity.   This metal has the property of literally heating up in just a few moments and also cooling rapidly.
• Weight.   Silver itself is very dense, and therefore it should be felt in the hand.
• Appearance.   The main properties of a genuine product include a silver-white tint and remarkable light reflectance. But, if you do not care for this material, it fades, acquiring a pinkish tint.
• The sound.   When you tap a valuable item with a silver product (for example, a coin), you will hear a characteristic ringing.

Hand-Held Check

It happens that a jewelry made of a precious metal is received as a gift or given to you by inheritance as family antiques, but there is no certainty about the naturalness of this thing. In these cases, the question usually arises of how to determine the authenticity of silver at home.

The easiest option is to buy a special test at the pharmacy. But, in fact, even if you are not an experienced jeweler, then, knowing some tricks, to perform such a mini-study is not difficult at all. Available methods using available tools are listed below.

Iodine

You can test a thing for authenticity with iodine. It has a strong effect on the noble metal, reacting with it, and forming a salt of a certain color.

Action algorithm:

1. Dampen a cotton swab in the solution or drip a small amount of the substance onto the test item.
2. Rinse off quickly.
3. Check the result. A gray cloudy spot should remain on the original. If there is a calcareous deposit of white color, then the thing is probably fake.

An interesting fact is that by the intensity of the spot you can determine the sample. The darker it is, the higher the sample.

Important!   This method of verification must be used with extreme caution so as not to spoil the thing, since it will be possible to remove the stain only by grinding. Therefore, for testing, it is worth choosing an inconspicuous place.

a piece of chalk

It has the same properties as iodine, only has a more gentle effect on the metal. Wipe the surface of the silver spoon with chalk. The product is genuine if a black mark has formed at this place. There is no stain - in front of you is a fake.

Vinegar

Another affordable way to determine the naturalness of a noble thing is to check with vinegar.

Instruction:

1. Gently scratch the sewing needle on the back of the item.
2. Put a little acid on this place and follow the reaction.
3. We saw a hissing foam of greenish color - a fake decoration.
4. If there is no foaming, drip onto the test site with saline. If the metal is natural, white silver nitrate will appear.

You can use the easier option. Dip the item in the container with acid for a couple of seconds. If the item is silver, there will be no reaction. In the opposite case, the product is false.

Important!   Acid is a fairly aggressive substance, so be sure to wear gloves before testing.

Magnet

If a magnet is accidentally lying around in your house (even a small piece will do), then you can conduct an experiment to identify whether the jewel is genuine or not.

How to determine silver at home using a magnet?   Bring the product to it, if it is natural, it will not be attracted.

Important!   This method does not give a 100% guarantee, since there are many other metals that do not magnetize, such as aluminum or cupronickel. But the iron immediately attracts to the magnet.

Bread crumb

In ancient times, our ancestors determined the naturalness of silver and gold objects in a very unusual way - the crumb of rye bread.

To do this, you must:

1. Knead a piece of crumb in your hands.
2. Stick around the product.
3. Leave the precious metal in this form for 2 days.
4. After the specified time, remove the bread.
5. Check which product is in front of you. If the metal has darkened or oxidized, then this is a fake.

Needle

To find out if a coating layer is present in a silver thing, you can use a needle.

Do the following:

1. Lightly draw a thin line with the sharp tip of the needle over the embellishment.
2. Inspect the product carefully.
3. If the layer easily falls off, then the thing is not real, since this cannot happen with natural metal.

Tip.   Very often in the markets for real silver jewelry are given brass products with a coating. Be careful when choosing a product in such a place.

Sulfuric ointment

Consider how to check silver at home with sulfuric ointment, which is sold in almost every pharmacy.

You need:

1. Apply a small amount of ointment to the test site. For example, on the inside of a silver ring.
2. Leave the substance for a while.
3. Delete composition.
4. If the product is natural, the contact area should darken.

Tip. To return to its original color, it is enough to boil silver in a soda solution with pieces of foil.

Lapis pencil

A reliable way to determine the authenticity of the product is to check with a pencil. It can be purchased at the pharmacy kiosk.

For this:

1. Put on gloves.
2. Lubricate the product with a pencil.
3. A black bar appeared - in front of you is a fake.

Heat

Silver has good heat-conducting characteristics. To find out if the precious metal is really in front of you, hold it in your hands or lower the little thing for a moment in boiling water.

In a couple of minutes, it will acquire the temperature of your body or hot water. If you put a small piece of ice on top of a silver object, it will begin to melt rapidly.

Approximately

You can simply carefully examine the required item.

• Hold the jewelry in your hands for some time - there will be no trace of natural silver. And if there are traces on the palm, then the product contains impurities. Such products will quickly break and darken.
• Real silver can be wiped with ammonia and it will begin to shine again, but with an alloy containing zinc, this will not happen.
• It is very simple to distinguish real table silver from cupronickel dishes. Under the top layer, an extraneous metal will be visible. So, chrome casts blue, nickel - yellowish, and silver - white.

How to determine a silver sample

It does not matter what you purchased: a cross or a jug - there must be a test and a mark on it. You can use a magnifying glass to view signs on a valuable item. The specified sample should be in the range from   800 to 999. The most common are products with 750, 800, 875, 916, 925, 960, 999   samples. The sale of products without stamps and samples is prohibited by law in many countries.