How Do You Appraise Sterling Silver Jewelry?
Sterling silver is an alloy that, according to federal law, must be at least 92.5 percent pure silver. The remaining 7.5 percent may be composed of any other metal, which is usually copper or platinum. As a result of the high silver content, sterling silver jewelry has a beautiful shine and can be very valuable. To find the worth of your jewelry item, an easy step is to appraise it. Read on to learn how to appraise sterling silver jewelry. Clean your silver jewelry using a soft cloth to buff out tarnish. Wipe off fingerprints and other temporary markings. A chemical solution called a tarnish dip may be used if tarnish is exceptionally heavy. Silver polish can be used, but may not be able to clean crevices and grooves in the piece. Inspect your piece carefully using a magnifying glass. If the metal is sterling silver, there will be two quality marks: one will say sterling, ster., 925 or .925, The other mark will be a name or initials of the maker or a registered trademark. If the first
