A stamp indicating the purity of the silver is called the assayer’s mark. The mark for silver meeting the sterling standard of purity is the Lion Passant, but there have been other variations over the years, most notably the mark indicating Britannia purity.

Interestingly, you can only buy a buckle and a belt together, but when I purchased it online, the order confirmation broke out the buckles and the belts individually. The buckles are priced at $355; the belts (or “straps” as they call them) started at $425 and I got some others for $455.

How to Tell If an Item Is Made of Real Silver

1. Look for markingsor stamps on the silver. Silver will often be stampedwith 925, 900, or 800.
2. Test it with a magnet. Silver, like most preciousmetals, is nonmagnetic.
3. Sniff it.
4. Polish it with a soft white cloth.
5. Put a piece of ice on it.

Heat melts ice. Silver is a really good ( the best) conductor of heat. If silver is placed on a piece of ice in a room that is somewhat warmer than the ice, the silver will conduct some heat from the surrounding warmer environment to the ice and it will begin to melt.

We do not recommend using toothpaste or baking soda for cleaning as it may scratch the surface of the silver. Do not use harsh chemicals such as bleach, acetone, etc, to clean your silver because they can make silver more dull, and ruin the surface.

If it’s fake, bleach can destroy the ring whereas it won’t have any effect if it’s real. This is not a recommended method if you want to keep and wear the jewelry no matter if it’s real or fake, as this will damage your jewel if it’s a fake. Rub face powder on the gold jewelry with a powder brush.

Silver can become tarnished in many different ways, but tarnish resulting from bleach is sure to require some thorough cleaning.

A. I had a beautiful silver ring ruined by bleach. I used toothpaste (preferably blue), rubbed it with a toothbrush for 3 minutes, and then cleaned it silver cloth — and voila good as new! Well I had a cup of bleach sitting in the sink and I accidentally put my Mom’s 200 year old sterling silver spoon into it!!

Pure bleach will turn your silver ring black! These are all harsh chemicals that can break down some of the base metals in your ring, dulling the finish, and actually damaging porous colored gemstones.

Sterling silver jewels looks great with your beachwear but don’t go in the water with them. They will tarnish and, in some cases, become damaged by exposure to pool and saltwater. Water, in and of itself, doesn’t cause the damage. If you accidentally jump in wearing your sterling silver jewelry, don’t despair.

Though showering with sterling silver jewelry on should not harm the metal, there is a good chance that it could induce tarnishing. Waters that contain chlorine, salts, or harsh chemicals will affect the look of your sterling silver. We encourage our customers to remove your sterling silver before showering.

Never wear your sterling silver jewelry in a hot tub, mineral spring, swimming pool, or any other chemically treated water. Wearing your jewelry often, may be one of the best ways to keep it looking beautiful and reduce tarnish buildup.

Sterling silver can begin to tarnish in anywhere from 2 months to 3 years, but don’t let that worry you. Tarnish is no big deal and there are simple ways to clean and prevent it.

925 Sterling Silver darkens due to daily use, as well as for other reasons. If it tends to be acidic, there is more chance that the silver will turn black. That explains why your jewelry can tarnish faster than the jewelry of other people.

Pure silver is not susceptible to tarnish in a pure oxygen environment. However, the copper that is contained in 925 sterling silver may react to the ozone and hydrogen sulfide in the air and cause sterling silver to tarnish. The oils in your skin will “clean” the sterling silver every time you wear a piece.