The counterfeit silver market is larger than most buyers realize. In practical terms this means a shopper who is not paying attention can buy silver-plated brass, nickel-based alloys, or even tungsten-cored pieces at silver prices, and only realize six months later when the piece leaves a green mark on the skin or snaps at a weld point. This piece explains how to tell a real 925 sterling silver piece from a fake, using tests that can be done at home in ten minutes without any specialized equipment beyond what most households already own.
Below are eight tests we recommend to Loretana buyers who want to verify a piece bought elsewhere, and what each test actually proves. Everything here is written from the Kaunas studio's daily reality of hallmarking, plating, and shipping silver jewelry, and from the specific questions we get from buyers who have been burned by mass-market fakes and want to make sure it does not happen again.
The one test that beats all others: the hallmark
Before any of the other tests, look for the hallmark. On a genuine 925 sterling silver piece, three stamps should be visible when you look closely with a jeweler's loupe or a phone camera at close range: the numerical fineness stamp (925), the national assay office symbol, and the maker's mark.
On a Loretana piece, the 925 stamp sits alongside the Lithuanian state assay symbol from Lietuvos prabavimo rūmai in Kaunas, plus our maker's mark. All three are present, in the same visible location, on every piece we ship. A piece with only the 925 stamp and nothing else has not passed through any independent verification and is a claim by the maker rather than evidence of composition.
Where to look for the hallmark on each format:
- Rings: inside the band
- Earrings: on the post, inside the hoop, or on the butterfly back
- Pendants: on the back of the pendant or on the bail
- Chains and bracelets: on or immediately next to the clasp
A piece missing the hallmark entirely is a strong signal that the maker did not want the piece independently tested. That alone is enough to be cautious with the purchase.
The eight home tests, in order of usefulness
Test 1: The magnet test. Silver is not magnetic. A neodymium magnet held near the piece should show no attraction whatsoever. If the piece pulls toward the magnet, even slightly, it contains a ferrous metal (iron, steel, nickel) that is not part of any legitimate silver alloy. This test rules out the cheapest fakes immediately.
Test 2: The ice test. Silver has the highest thermal conductivity of any metal in common use. Place an ice cube on the piece and another ice cube on a control surface (a ceramic plate). The ice on the silver piece will melt visibly faster, within 15 to 30 seconds of difference. A fake made from brass, nickel, or steel will not conduct heat as efficiently.
Test 3: The sound test. Silver rings clearly when struck lightly. Balance the piece on a fingernail or a soft surface, then tap it with a coin or a metal edge. Genuine silver produces a clean, high-pitched ring that sustains for two to three seconds. Silver-plated brass or nickel-based fakes produce a dull, short thud.
Test 4: The cloth test. Rub a small area of the piece firmly with a soft white cloth. Real silver, particularly if slightly tarnished, leaves a dark grey mark on the cloth from surface silver oxide. A fake leaves no mark or leaves a colored mark from the plating layer being worn through.
Test 5: The weight test. Real silver is denser than any common fake. A 925 silver ring of 3 mm width and standard size weighs 2.5 to 4 grams. A brass or steel equivalent of the same dimensions weighs less. A tungsten-cored fake weighs more. Compare the piece to a known silver reference of the same rough size.
Test 6: The smell test. Real silver has no smell. Cheap fakes based on brass or copper alloys have a faint metallic smell, particularly after being handled or heated slightly by body warmth. If you can smell metal on the piece, the piece is not pure silver.
Test 7: The discoloration test. Rub the piece against the inside of your wrist for 30 seconds. Real silver leaves no mark. Nickel-based fakes leave a faint green or grey mark within a minute of skin contact. This test also identifies pieces that will cause skin reactions in sensitive wearers.
Test 8: The nitric acid test. The most definitive home test, but requires a small bottle of nitric acid (available from jewelry supply stores). Apply one drop of acid to an inconspicuous surface. Real silver turns the drop a creamy white color. Silver-plated brass turns green underneath the plating within seconds. This test damages the surface at the test point, so keep it small and hidden.
What each type of fake actually is
Three categories of fake dominate the market that a Loretana buyer might encounter when comparing prices across online listings.
Silver-plated brass. The most common fake. A layer of silver, usually less than one micron thick, over a brass core. Reads correctly for the first month, then wears through at friction points (ring shoulders, clasp mechanisms, earring posts), exposing the brass and leaving green marks on the skin. Priced significantly below genuine 925 to still make a profit.
Nickel-based silver alloys. Sometimes labeled as "German silver," "nickel silver," or "alpaca silver," despite containing no actual silver. Made from a mix of copper, nickel, and zinc. Cheaper than real silver, causes skin reactions in nickel-allergic wearers (approximately 10 percent of adult women), and violates EU Nickel Directive limits when sold as skin-contact jewelry.
Tungsten or steel cores with silver flash. Used mostly in cheap ring bands. Heavier than real silver, hard to scratch, but the flash coating wears through within weeks. Common on very cheap online marketplace listings claiming to be sterling silver at prices that would make no economic sense for real silver.
Why the Lithuanian hallmark specifically matters
Not every hallmark in the world carries the same weight. Some countries have loose or optional assay requirements; some private makers stamp their own pieces without any third-party test. The Lithuanian hallmark from Lietuvos prabavimo rūmai in Kaunas is one of the more rigorous in the EU because Lithuanian law requires mandatory assay for every silver piece above a certain weight, and because the assay office uses X-ray fluorescence composition testing to verify metal content rather than surface-only tests that can be fooled by plating.
Every Loretana piece submitted for hallmarking is tested at the office in Kaunas before the stamp is applied. A piece that fails the composition test does not receive the stamp and does not enter our inventory. This is why we can state with confidence that every stamped Loretana piece contains 92.5 percent pure silver in the metal itself, not on a surface layer.
What to check when buying online
Most silver buying happens online, where none of the eight tests above can be done before purchase. Four checks apply at the online stage.
- Look for close-up hallmark photographs. A legitimate seller shows the 925 stamp and assay symbol in the product photos, close enough to read. A seller who does not show the hallmark either does not have one or is hiding a partial stamp.
- Check the price against real silver market rates. A 4-gram silver ring cannot cost less than about 15 euros at any point in a normal silver market, once you add manufacture, plating, packaging, and margin. A ring at 5 euros is definitionally not real silver.
- Read the material description carefully. "925 sterling silver" is different from "silver-plated," "silver-tone," "silver-colored," or "silver alloy." These are legally distinct terms in EU consumer protection law, and a seller who uses any of the softer terms is not selling genuine sterling silver.
- Check the return policy on material claims. A legitimate seller stands behind the material claim and accepts returns if the piece fails a test. A seller who does not accept returns on material grounds does not expect his pieces to pass any test.
The Baltic authenticity context
Baltic customers read hallmarks and check pieces in person. This shapes the whole market: a piece sold as 925 sterling silver in Lithuania has to be actual 925 sterling silver, because Baltic buyers verify what they buy and act on false claims through consumer protection channels. EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive applies, Lithuanian consumer protection law applies, and a jeweler caught selling silver-plated brass as 925 sterling silver faces both fines and reputation damage that closes the business.
Every Loretana piece is 925 sterling silver, hallmarked at Lietuvos prabavimo rūmai in Kaunas, and independently verifiable by any of the eight tests above.
Frequently asked questions
Can you tell if silver is real just by looking at it?
No, not reliably. Silver-plated fakes look identical to real silver when new, and only reveal themselves after weeks or months of wear. The hallmark is the only visual signal that reliably identifies real silver at the point of purchase.
Does real silver tarnish?
Yes. Real silver develops a slight patina over months of exposure to air and sulfur compounds. Fake silver-plated pieces do not tarnish uniformly because the plating is thicker in some areas than others. Uneven tarnish patterns are a sign of plating rather than solid silver.
Will a magnet stick to real silver?
No. Silver is not magnetic. If the piece pulls toward the magnet at all, it contains a ferrous metal that is not part of any legitimate silver alloy.
What is the safest way to buy real 925 silver online?
Buy from sellers who show close-up hallmark photographs, state the material as "925 sterling silver" specifically, price the piece at a realistic silver market rate, and accept returns based on material claims.
Is a piece stamped 925 always real silver?
The 925 stamp is required but not sufficient. A fake maker can also stamp 925 on a plated piece. The additional independent assay symbol (like the Lithuanian stamp from Lietuvos prabavimo rūmai) is what makes the piece verifiable, because that stamp is applied by a state office after composition testing rather than by the maker himself.
Every Loretana piece is hallmarked at Lietuvos prabavimo rūmai in Kaunas before it ships across Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia within 24 hours.
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