What is the rarest silver sample?

Chemists are more accustomed to calling silver by its Latin name – Argentum. In the periodic table, the metal, designated by the letters Ag, has the number 47. Jewelers call it noble for its ability to resist corrosion and oxidation. Everyone else simply appreciates it for its beautiful, discreet brilliance, sophistication and aristocracy.

What is silver hallmark?

People mastered silver production in ancient times. Ductile metal easily yielded to the hands of craftsmen, taking the desired shapes. The silver items had only one drawback: they quickly deformed due to the excessive softness of the noble raw material. But over time, this too was leveled out. They learned to add other metals to silver, which gave it strength. Those alloys that retained a noble shine, but were many times stronger than pure silver, were valued. These could already be used for the production of expensive dishes, jewelry, and even elements of tools. There was only one difficulty left. The amount of impurities in different compositions varied. How to distinguish them in order to make a reliable assessment? Thus the need for labeling arose. They began to use special badges for it, which were placed directly on ingots or finished products. They were called “samples”. They indicate the precious metal content in grams per kilogram of alloy. There is no ideal ratio of silver to impurities that would suit everyone. For example, the production of tableware requires a fairly strong material that contains at least 20% impurities. This is exactly the “800” sample. When making jewelry, it is more important to preserve the beauty and sophistication of the noble metal, and a higher standard for the material is required. Today, rings, chains and bracelets marked “925” are most often found.

Types of silver samples

Different formulas are used as impurities. Most often, the main element in them is copper. This metal has many advantages: it is inexpensive, durable and interacts well with silver. And yet it has a significant drawback – its rich yellow color. It dissolves in a fresh alloy, almost without changing its light silver hue. But over time it appears, gradually making your favorite product darker. All stamps used today are classified by the metric system of samples, which has become widespread in many countries, including Russia. The most common samples today are shown in the table. Silver/copper in 1 kg of alloy Luxury jewelry production, premium decor production Jewelry production, production of cutlery and decorative items of the highest price category Production of interior items, dishes, jewelry in the mid-price category Inexpensive jewelry production, cutlery production Making cutlery

SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS

800. The material is called “yellow silver”. Maximum strength and minimum decorative qualities. It has excellent casting properties, but the finished product has a yellowish tint, quickly oxidizes and darkens. A good option for the production of serving utensils: spoons, forks, knives. However, they will require constant care to maintain their noble beauty. 830. Just 30 extra grams of silver makes the alloy more noble. This is also suitable for decorations. True, products made from it can quickly lose their aristocratic appearance, darkening and losing their shine. But their cost is also quite low. 875. Cutlery made from this alloy is of the highest quality. They have almost no yellowish tint, and their strength is high. Some jewelers also use 875-grade silver to create jewelry. The result is things that are affordable, but require some attention and care. 925. There is a version that it was from silver of this standard that coins – pounds sterling – were made in the Middle Ages. Therefore, the name “sterling” was assigned to it. You can sell silver coins at a very favorable price. Also, 925 silver is often called “standard” due to its high distribution. This alloy is most often used to create jewelry. 75 grams of copper dissolves in pure silver, leaving no hint of yellowness, but still giving the required strength. Jewelers value this alloy for its amazing ductility, which is provided by a high concentration of noble metal. This allows them to create products of the most elaborate, striking shapes. Finished jewelry is often plated with gold. After this procedure, it is difficult to distinguish them from real gold. The stigma will help you not to succumb to illusions. Gold does not have purity 925! 960. The amount of copper in this alloy is kept to a minimum, which gives the necessary hardness and allows the finished products to retain their shape. As a result, the decorative qualities are excellent. As is plasticity. Thanks to this, highly artistic items that require special meticulousness are made from silver marked “960”. The result is real works of art. For greater durability they are coated with enamel. 999. This is pure silver. Too soft to make anything, but too expensive to pass up. Bullion bars marked “999” are stored in banks, sold and bought on the stock exchange. This is capital investment and working capital. In everyday life, the use of silver of the highest standard is kept to a minimum. It is contained in some special solders used in high-tech industries. Well, sometimes they are used for occult purposes. This is common, for example, in Japan. There are other, rarer markings in the metric system described above. Someone probably still has jewelry, dishes, or interior items branded with a barrel icon. This is how a silver sample was marked «916». In the USSR it was quite common, but it is still relevant and is no longer used at all these days. There are also technical tests that are performed on alloys with low silver content, which are used in the production of some boards. They are also marked with numbers. All of them are less than 800.

Other sample systems

Some ancient hallmarks perplex modern connoisseurs of silver metal. For example, the number «84». What is this? A cheap alloy with only 84 grams of silver nobility per kilogram? Of course not. Even our ancestors did not see the point in creating such materials. The 84th standard is one of those that were adopted in the spool metric system, which existed in our country for several centuries and was finally abolished about a hundred years ago. The unit of measurement in it was the spool. And a kilogram of the alloy with the mark “84” actually contains as much as 875 grams of silver.

Varieties of silver

Copper is far from the only “partner” of silver. Our distant ancestors also noticed that different components are capable of changing the quality and appearance of the alloy in their own way. Some “recipes” exist to this day, allowing you to create amazingly beautiful things. Blackening is a traditional silver processing method for Rus’. It was used even before our era, creating stunning things covered with intricate patterns. There are many ingredients in this recipe. It includes silver, copper, sulfur and lead. Mixed in a certain proportion, they make up the very rabble that produces stains on the finished product. The combination of dark and light was mesmerizing and put me in a mystical mood. This is probably why blackened silver was originally used for occult things. Charms made from it were considered very strong, and elixirs stored in blackened vessels were considered miraculous. Over time, the unique ancient technique was not only not forgotten, but also became more widespread. In the 17th century it flourished. People were happy to purchase engravings, boxes, cigarette cases, and dishes. It was fashionable, prestigious and very patriotic. In addition to its external qualities, blackened silver also has other advantages. It is very durable and does not need cleaning. The recipe for oxidized silver is much simpler than for blackened silver. Two components are enough for it. This is the noble metal itself and sulfur. When they interact, a darkening effect also appears. But high strength cannot be achieved. It is worth noting that it would be incorrect to call oxidized silver a second-rate material. It has a certain jewelry value. At least due to the fact that it provides a wide palette, from deep black to shades of purple. This property is widely used when creating jewelry or decor. The antique effect that is present on all products made from an alloy of silver and sulfur adds charm and charm. Polishing enhances the decorative qualities. After it, the convex parts acquire a noble shine, while the concave parts retain a mysterious dark matte finish. They create mainly small jewelry from oxidized silver: rings and earrings, chains and pendants. Moreover, not every one can be immediately distinguished from a product made of blackened gold. Therefore, if the difference is fundamental, you should pay more attention to your choice. The prices for these two alloys are almost the same. The matte surface looks noble and aristocratic. In order to make silver stop shining, they resort to very cunning methods. For this purpose, special units are used that resemble sandblasting equipment and etch it in various chemical solutions. Thin gold plating on top of silver guarantees not only a luxurious appearance, but also increased durability. This is important not so much for decorations as for household items, such as spoons and forks. For example, it is not recommended to use pure silver dishes for salty and sour foods, as a chemical reaction may begin that will “kill” the expensive item. Gold film protects well from such excesses. Of course, these are not all the types of silver that people have created over centuries of admiring this metal. There are a huge number of substances and technologies that make it possible to create materials of amazing beauty and properties.

Authenticity of silver products

Not every hallmark on a seemingly silver item guarantees its quality. Along with the original stamps, there are “branded” or fake ones. It is not difficult for scammers to print them. Of course, an experienced jeweler will immediately notice the difference. But the common man in the street – not always. False stamps can be distinguished by several signs. Very often the signs on them have smooth contours. This is explained by the fact that softer metals are used to counterfeit silver. Any unusual marking should also alert you. Amateur scammers are not very well versed in the history of marking of precious items. And they make serious mistakes by making samples that were used only in certain years. For example, on false jewelry you can often find a stamp with an image of a woman’s head in a kokoshnik. In fact, this is a special marking of the state inspection. To mark counterfeits that claim to be of great value, criminals can use sophisticated methods. One of these is the transfer of a real sample, taken, for example, from an inexpensive spoon. It is removed and carefully soldered to another thing. But it is not always possible to completely hide deception. Most often, it is enough to breathe for a test, and traces of recent soldering will be revealed. However, some fakes are made so skillfully that only craftsmen using special equipment can reveal their true essence. When buying an expensive item secondhand, you should not ignore their services. HOW TO DETERMINE THE AUTHENTICITY OF SILVER Only an expert can reliably determine the authenticity of a product. You should contact him if you have any doubts. And the reason for them can be, for example, poor quality of the product: poorly closing locks, uneven chain links, uneven edges, etc. Serious manufacturers do not allow this. You may also be alarmed by the fact that the skin begins to darken when it comes into contact with the jewelry. This is the first sign of the presence of zinc in the alloy. Although cunning sellers will claim that it is not their product that is to blame for this, but the evil eye or damage that is supposedly present on the person. You can try to establish the truth at home. To do this, you can conduct a number of experiments based on the properties of silver. For example, silver is not magnetic. So any souvenir that decorates refrigerator doors can serve as an indicator. However, lack of interaction does not mean the jewelry is authentic. It can be made from cheap materials that also do not respond to magnets. Silver also has good thermal conductivity. If you dip it in hot water for a few seconds, it will immediately become hot. If this does not happen, then the alloy contains completely different metals. However, an instant change in temperature also cannot 100% prove the authenticity of silver. It turns out that no home method can give a complete guarantee. And if the truth is important, you need to go to a specialist to establish it. If you are interested in a professional appraisal or buying silverware, please contact us! If you need to buy or sell silver products, please contact our store. Consultation is free. Silver is one of the most popular jewelry materials after gold. Even during lessons at school, we learned that it is soft, plastic and can be processed. Even with such properties, this metal is stronger than gold. But in any case, copper is added to silver for additional wear resistance. This makes jewelry more durable. Silver jewelry is chosen for its sobriety and versatility. The “cool” color will easily highlight any look: from everyday to more evening.

About silver standards in metric and carat systems

Let’s first get acquainted with the basic concepts of jewelry making. Sample means the presence of precious material in jewelry. The number is indicated on the stamp of the jewelry and indicates the silver content in it. Let us remind you that there are no “clean” products. Let us introduce you to another interesting term. Ligature is the number of impurities in the silver mixture of the product.

What types of silver are there?

• 999 or 24 carats is the highest standard of silver. It can be used to cover costume jewelry or cutlery, and it is also used to make valuable bullion. The amount of impurities here is insignificant – about 0,1%. After all, even under the best conditions it is impossible to achieve complete purity of the metal.
• 960 standard or 23 carats – has 96% silver in its city. The softness and ductility of this alloy is best suited for making artwork and filigree. 960 silver items are not suitable for everyday use.
• 925 standard (22K) is the most common silver standard in Ukraine. In other countries it is also known as “sterling silver”. In its structure, this alloy has 92,5% base metal. The other 7,5% is copper and sometimes nickel.
• The 875th sample (21K) is used for making sculptures, figurines and other practical items. This alloy is already more durable, but a slight yellowness appears in the color. The brightness of their shine is less, in contrast to 925 products. As a result, due to a higher copper content, the product may turn black faster.
• 830 test (20K) is used for the manufacture of various parts and decorative items.
• 800 (19k) and 750 standard – a low-grade mixture of silver. It has a yellowish tint, but there is another advantage – the products do not lose their shape over time. These types of silver samples are often used for minting coins. Sometimes it is called that – Silver Coin.

Silver test: let’s talk about other types of metal?

We mentioned sterling silver above. This is another name for a standard product sample. Did you know that names still exist?

Nickel silver or German silver is a mixture of copper, nickel and zinc. Usually, it is released without specifying the sample. Chern is an alloy of silver, copper and lead. It is used to emulate jewelry. Often niello can be found in works of art or items of a religious nature.

Electrum is an alloy of silver and gold with other elements. It can easily be found in nature. It was especially popular during the times of Ancient Egypt.

“Finish” of all silver products

Which silver sample was not in your hands now, it will be plated with rhodium. This metal ensures that silver items are resistant to tarnishing and damage. Jewelry coated with rhodium acquires a bright shine, becomes more wear-resistant and does not cause allergies.

The Kviten store offers its customers jewelry made from high-quality silver. They will serve you for many years without losing their beauty and relevance. Gifts for any holiday or important event and things that bring happiness for no reason – that’s all about our silver jewelry.