The 925 Silver Buyer's Guide

Sterling silver is one of the most forgiving metals to shop for — it doesn't demand the same budget as gold, and a well-made piece will outlast whatever trend it was bought for. But "forgiving" doesn't mean foolproof. Here's what actually matters when you're choosing a piece, in the order it matters.

Start with the stamp, but don't stop there. A 925 mark tells you the metal is genuine sterling — 92.5% silver, the rest mostly copper for strength. We've written a full guide to reading that stamp if you want the details. What the stamp doesn't tell you is anything about the workmanship around it, which is where most of the real differences between pieces actually live.

Look at how the stone is set, not just what the stone is. A bezel setting — where a rim of metal wraps the stone's edge — protects it from knocks and stays secure for decades. A stone sitting in a thin claw setting can loosen with normal wear. If a piece has an open back behind the stone (rather than a solid metal backing), that's usually a good sign: it means the stone was set to let light through and show its actual color, not to hide a lower grade behind foil or backing.

Ask what the finish is, not just the metal. Plain sterling darkens over time and needs occasional polishing. A piece finished with a micron of rhodium plating resists tarnish and keeps a brighter white tone for years — but that's a plating layer on top of solid silver, which is a different thing entirely from silver-plated base metal (a thin layer over brass or copper with no sterling underneath at all). Ask which one you're looking at; a seller who can't answer isn't necessarily dishonest, but they may not know their own inventory well.

Check whether the chain is actually included. A surprising number of pendants are sold "chain not included," which turns a $75 purchase into a $75-plus-unknown one. It's a fair practice if it's disclosed clearly — it's a bad surprise if it isn't. Ask before you buy, not after it arrives.

Get the sizing question answered before you order a ring. Ring sizes aren't universal across brands the way people assume — a size 7 from one maker can run slightly differently from another's. Look for a seller who publishes a sizing chart or offers an exchange if it doesn't fit; that's a much better signal than a seller who insists their sizing is "standard."

Weight is a real clue, within reason. Sterling silver is denser than most of the base metals used to imitate it, so a piece that feels unusually light for its size is worth a second look. This isn't a precise test — smaller and larger pieces naturally weigh differently — but it's one more data point alongside the stamp and the finish.

None of these checks require special equipment or expertise. They're the same questions a jeweler would walk through with a piece in hand. If you already own something you're unsure about — inherited, bought secondhand, or just sitting in a drawer for years — send us a photo of the mark and the piece. It's a free, no-pressure read from the bench, not a sales pitch. Send it to the Silver Desk →