00:00Do you know how to tell real silver from a fake?
00:02Turns out silver gets faked even more often than gold.
00:05Let's start with the hallmark.
00:07999 is practically pure silver, but it's so soft it's really only good for bars and coins.
00:13For jewelry, they use 925.
00:16That's 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper, which adds strength.
00:22875 and 800 have more copper, so they're cheaper and tarnish faster.
00:27The copper adds strength and a warm tone often confused with patina.
00:31If there's no hallmark or you're not sure, there are a few easy ways to test silver at home.
00:36For instance, hold a magnet to it.
00:38Real silver won't stick, or put an ice cube on it.
00:41Silver conducts heat really well, so the ice will start melting within seconds.
00:45And if you drop a little vinegar on a scratch, a fake will fizz or turn green, while real silver
00:50stays clean.
00:51One more sign.
00:52If your jewelry leaves a dark mark on your skin, that means there's too much copper or other metals in
00:58the mix.
00:58Good 925 sterling silver rarely does that.
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