I get asked this question more than any other: how do I know if the silver jewellery I am buying online is actually silver? This post gives you a complete, practical answer. Not a marketing answer. An honest one from a founder who has been in the silver industry in Surat since 2016.
The Scale of the Problem
The silver jewellery market online is enormous — and so is the percentage of it that misrepresents what it sells. Silver-plated base metal sold as sterling silver. Costume jewellery listed as handmade Indian craft. Generic factory pieces described as artisanal.
This matters for two reasons. First, you pay for something that is not what it says. Second, and more importantly, silver-plated and base metal jewellery can cause skin reactions that genuine sterling silver does not. Nickel allergies affect 10 to 15% of the global population. When base metal jewellery — often containing nickel — is sold as silver, buyers with sensitivities buy it and suffer reactions without understanding why.
So here is exactly how to tell the difference.
The Seven Signs of Genuine 925 Sterling Silver
Sign one: The 925 hallmark is explicitly stated in the listing title or first paragraph. Legitimate sterling silver listings say 925 sterling silver. Not silver-tone. Not silvery. Not silver-coloured. Not just silver. The number 925 should be visible in the listing text. If the material description is vague, treat it as unverified.
Sign two: Close-up photos of the actual hallmark stamp. Legitimate sterling silver sellers photograph the 925 stamp on the actual piece. Look for a product image that shows the clasp or back of the piece with the 925 marking visible. This single test eliminates the majority of fake listings. If you cannot see the stamp in the product images, ask the seller to send one before ordering.
Sign three: Specific country and city of manufacture. Genuine handcrafted silver pieces come from somewhere specific. Our pieces come from Surat, Gujarat, India — a city we name because that is where they are made. Listings that say handmade in India without specifying a location are easier to fake. Listings that give a specific workshop city are harder to fabricate.
Sign four: Realistic pricing. 925 sterling silver has a commodity price — silver is a precious metal that trades on global markets. A genuine sterling silver charm with lobster clasp, priced under $15, is almost certainly not sterling silver. The material cost alone prevents this. For handcrafted 925 sterling silver charms, $50 to $100 is the realistic price range for quality pieces with genuine provenance.
Sign five: Nickel-free confirmation. Standard 925 sterling silver uses copper as its alloying metal and is naturally nickel-free. But some silver alloys do contain nickel. A seller who cares about their buyers will state nickel-free explicitly. If this is not mentioned, ask before ordering, particularly if you have sensitive skin.
Sign six: A transparent return policy on material issues. A seller confident in their materials accepts returns on material quality grounds. If the piece turns green, leaves marks on skin, or has the plating worn through revealing base metal, a legitimate sterling silver seller will accept this as a material quality issue and resolve it. Sellers who will not accept returns on material grounds are telling you something important about their confidence in what they are selling.
Sign seven: A genuine brand story with direct contact. We tell you that Aakash started Abdesigns in 2016 in Surat. We give you a direct email address. We have a blog with 48 articles about silver jewellery. Legitimate brands have depth. Dropshippers have product listings with no story and no direct contact.
Home Tests for Silver You Already Own
If you have a piece and want to verify it, here are three tests you can do without specialist equipment.
The magnet test. Silver is not magnetic. Hold a strong magnet near your piece. If the piece is attracted to the magnet, it contains iron or steel and is not silver. Genuine sterling silver shows no magnetic attraction. This test is not definitive — some non-silver metals are also non-magnetic — but it eliminates the most common fakes.
The smell test. Genuine sterling silver is essentially odourless. Base metals — particularly copper alloys and brass — often have a slight metallic or sulphurous smell after handling. If your piece has a noticeable metallic odour, it may not be genuine silver.
The ice test. Silver has the highest thermal conductivity of any metal. Place an ice cube on a silver piece at room temperature. If the ice begins melting unusually fast, the piece has high thermal conductivity consistent with genuine silver. Not definitive, but a useful indicator.
What to Do If You Suspect You Were Sold Fake Silver
Contact the seller with photos of the issue — discolouration, plating wearing through, skin reactions. A legitimate seller will resolve it. If they do not, contact your payment provider (credit card or PayPal) with the material discrepancy as your dispute reason. Material misrepresentation is a valid dispute ground.
For future purchases: apply all seven signs above before buying. The vast majority of fake silver listings fail at least two of them.
At Abdesigns, every piece is 925 hallmarked, nickel-free, and photographed with the hallmark visible. We give you our direct email. We stand behind every piece we ship.
Use code USALAUNCH10 for 10% off your first order.
Shop Genuine 925 Silver Charms →
FAQ
How can I tell if silver jewellery is real before buying online?
Look for explicit 925 hallmark mention, close-up hallmark photos in listings, specific country and city of manufacture, realistic pricing above $15 for any sterling silver piece, and a transparent return policy on material quality.
What does silver-plated mean and why is it a problem?
Silver-plated means a thin layer of silver over base metal — typically brass or copper containing nickel. The plating wears through within one to three years, revealing the base metal which can cause skin reactions and turns green. It has no real silver value.
Is Indian silver jewellery authentic?
It depends on the seller. India has genuine silver craft traditions in cities like Surat, Jaipur, and Rajkot. But there are also many sellers misrepresenting base metal as silver. Apply the seven signs above to any Indian silver listing regardless of origin.
