✅ SOLVED is it silver

[bufaloeletric]

found this small pendant and applied the acid test, which pretty much went about four different colors on me, as does all the silver items ive attempted to test. ive had this acid for about a year and a half, does it go bad? are there better ways of testing? and finally, does it look silver to you? the inside of it looks to be the same material as the outside making me believe its not plated, and i rubbed the heck out of it on the test stone and it didnt rub through to another material.


please ignore the ring in the pick of the acid bottle, i just wanted you to see what kind of acid i was using.

 

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[capt-zero]

Until relatively recently, silver was not that expensive (at least for a precious metal). While almost all modern silver jewelry is marked as such, quite a bit of vintage and antique silver items were not marked in any way. I have noticed recently I've been finding more and more of unmarked silver items. When I first found this site, I posted a large Japanese bowl (365 grams) that was 95% silver without any silver mark on it anywhere. Just last week I posted two pair of unmarked Victorian sash buckles (although one pair that had been extensivly repaired had an almost indecipherable '5' sticking out of one repair) and both tested positive for silver. Anybody else noticed this sort of thing?

 

[collectorconor]

This sounds disgusting,but,beleive it or not,it works:
Spit on the item,then wrap it tightly in tinfoil.Keep it wrapped for about ten seconds,then unwrap.If it smells like rotten eggs,it is silver.

 

[bigfoot1]

If you have 18k solution in your test kit...use it instead....aqua blue....silver

 

[bufaloeletric]

thanks everyone for the help, ill try these suggestions out.

 

[PeteyPete]

i have the same sort of ? about silver testing i use puri test. i think thats what you have. my test results for sterling silver.. Most of the time as soon as i make a mark i can tell.. sterling is soft and will leave a smooth nice line. Junk is a ruff scratch and sometimes leaves different color line.. a rich bright red color makes me feel confident that the piece is real but sometimes i get i dull red color this bothers me ,if it is not silver it will fade away this is only on stone testing. Very rarely i get a different color testing on a stone. anyone else have these results? I unsderstand you have to scratch peice well enough. Im going to try the 18k suggested.
I would also like to discuss the slightly magnetic concept is this a real possibility that sterling peices can have a slight movement .not stick obvcourse..
i appreciate any answers im new you guys have probably talked about this a tun...

 

[bufaloeletric]

thanks petey

ha pete! i forgot to try a magnet. the spit does leave a strange smell, but not sure if its rotten eggs or my rotten breath does your acid go through the gamut of colors before it settles on one? plus-i have a black test stone and its hard for me to contrast the color against the background so i apply acid directly to my pieces.

 

[PeteyPete]

I dont realy test on pieces.. but i know that gives the best results from what ive heard and will run through the colors.. most of the pieces i test with same black stone... im testing advertised sterling pieces its usualy the bright red or dull red, i have had changing greenish yellow colors but only couple times. I almost want to buy alpaca, tibetan, german, nickle silver,and silver plated items to see what results are.. maybee i already have a bunch of junk i just cant be positive.. I tried to get some answers from Utube but
everything i see i basicly already know..and alota people use JSP im not sure the 2 are the same..

 

[bigfoot1]

guys,if the puritest silver solution is dropped on a piece you will often see the colors change.if it starts out as a deep red...then dulls,then turns green....plated.On a scratch test(stone)and less deep red(still red)indicates 90% or less silver content(usually less).The 18k solution turning blue on a stone is sterling or better and I have never seen it be wrong.good luck.hope it helps

 

[PeteyPete]

Bigfoot whats your opinion on the magnet ive heard people swear with a srong magent any movement at all means its junk no doubt ..some say it could be alloy or finish and is still high % silver. I realy hope the dull red is around the %90 area..

 

[bigfoot1]

even nickle has a tiny amount of magnetic action.If it really attracts....plated or filled 1/20th.Some of which is worth keeping untill you have a bunch for scrap.(gold filled)Always check with magnet and hallmarks.I have seen many pieces with untrue marks tho.
A fair amount of 75-80% silver items are out there....not as deep a red.Yellow=junk...some lead content.Also 14k solution will have strong reaction(dont breathe gasses)on those junk items.

 

[PeteyPete]

Yea most of what your saying i already knew . Im not sure why someone would make jewelry out %70 %80 silver unless they just wanted make it stronger..save couple dollars mass producing.. i know some countrys have used the 800 835 850 as there standard...but usualy they are marked as such... Early 80s last couple years the silver booms alotta false marked peices total junk out there yes.. Im gonna try the 18k see if that gives me a better result.. Thanks For the Help..

 

[PeteyPete]

Wow i tried the 18K Turns a whiteish blue Its definatley makes me feel better about my pieces ,I just might stop getting the silver testing solution alltogether.. but i still want to expeiment little more.. Ty very Much!!

 

[bigfoot1]

...the 18k is truly difinitive bro

 

[magikmakr]

Hello Bigfoot ~ you have a lot of knowledge about the testing process. I am frustrated and hope you can help. I tested a chain that i'm getting ready to sell it so I want to make sure it is before I do. I tested it with the Puritest silver test and it turns bright yellow. After a few minutes it turns blue. I then tried the 18k liquid and it immediately starts to eat the metal and turns blue. According to previous posts the yellow indicates junk but the 18k test indicates silver. Please help clarify

 

[bigfoot1]

likely you have a low percentage silver..70% or less...or plated.some plating is pretty heavy.the 18k will not eat sterling on a stone.At less than 60%ish silver the silver solution will give a greenish/bluish.always nice to have a known sterling piece to cross test with.

 

[ARC]

Hello Bigfoot ~ you have a lot of knowledge about the testing process. I am frustrated and hope you can help. I tested a chain that i'm getting ready to sell it so I want to make sure it is before I do. I tested it with the Puritest silver test and it turns bright yellow. After a few minutes it turns blue. I then tried the 18k liquid and it immediately starts to eat the metal and turns blue. According to previous posts the yellow indicates junk but the 18k test indicates silver. Please help clarifyView attachment 1102757View attachment 1102759

WOW ! that is a lot of acid you used...
You do not need that much...
Make straight line rubbing..
Apply droplets...
If disappears... bunk
If bluish to whitish silver
Purer the stronger

Make sure when you rub... you get "some meat" to it.
Don't just rub like one time across... you need to rub it decently but not enough to grind down.
And make sure you do it to area where cannot be seen if you like the piece....
If you are gonna scrap it... does not matter how or where you grind.

 

[ARC]

I also must point out... 18k IS NOT a SILVER test... and does not show if it is silver
ONLY SHOWS STERLING or higher usually
Coin will fade quick as well as all low grades of silver... 600 800 etc
Plated will test positive if not "rubbed" right.

 

[ARC]

errr let me clarify that actually...
lesser silver content, below say .900 MAY be dark brown to black.
I have even seen green... high copper content