07 Apr Is Your Cultery Made of Silver? We’ll Spoonfeed You the Answers.

Whether you bought it yourself for a pretty penny or it was passed on to you from family, a cutlery collection can bring with it some curious questions. The most common one being, of course, “Is my silverware actually… silver?”

And, considering your cutlery may actually be merely plated in silver, it’s a question worth asking.

Here are some ways you can find out for yourself:

Carving Out the Right Answer

If you’re ready to begin hunting for treasure within the nooks and crannies — and, okay, drawers — of your own home, you’re in luck! After all, in many cases, it is actually pretty easy to determine whether or not your utensils are made of silver.

Simply turn it over and check for any stamps or engravings. The older the cutlery, the more likely it is to be antique silver.

Thus, if an item contains mostly silver (as opposed to being silver-plated), it will likely contain one or more of the following:

• 92.5% or .925 — This is stamped onto items that contain 92.5% silver, otherwise referred to as “sterling silver.”
• A lion — Here’s a fun fact for you: the term sterling silver originates from Britain. And the official British symbol for this material? A lion. Check to see if this lion stamp is located on your silverware.
• The words “sterling silver” — Well, it doesn’t get much more straightforward than that!
• .999 — “Fine silver,” or 99.9% silver, is much rarer than sterling silver. In some cases, however, you may still see a stamped number indicating its nearly-pure silver makeup.

Can Properties Prove Productive?

If you do not see any stamps to help shed light on the nature of this (potentially) precious metal, don’t worry; there are other properties that may clue you in on the true material of your cutlery.

For example, silver is not a highly magnetic metal. In some — but not all — instances, if a spoon is strongly attracted to a magnetic, it is not sterling silver and is likely compromised of a composite of other materials.

Conversely, silver is known to be an apt conductor of temperature. Thus, if you hold an ice cube to one end of your spoon, wait to see if the other end becomes cold. If the cold is transferred across the utensil within the span of one minute, there is a chance that it is sterling silver.

Note, however, that neither of the aforementioned tests will be 100% accurate or conclusive.

Your Valuable Venture with Hemming Jewelers

According to APMex, the value of silver today — which will have likely changed by the time you read this — is approximately $26.05 per ounce. What’s more, silver is known for withstanding the harsh impact wrought by a recession, making it valuable all around, even today.

And if you are still wondering if your cutlery is made of silver, or if you have similar questions about your individual pieces of silver jewelry, Hemming Jewelers can help!

Not only do we offer certified appraisal services to help shed a little light on the gifts that glimmer, but we also offer a wide variety of new and consignment silver jewelry that is sure to add value to your collection!

Ready to learn more? Then reach out to Hemming Jewelers, Jacksonville’s #1 independent jeweler, by calling 904-354-5959 today! We look forward to putting a sparkle in your eye with answers you can trust.