Silver jewelry markings are usually small, sometimes imperfect or obscure, and tell a story about the jewelry. Jewelry marks give the country of origin and the metal content, sometimes in code. There is a renewed interest in silver jewelry as the price of silver rises on the world market, and as gold prices prohibit the purchase of gold jewelry. Vintage silver jewelry is plentiful on the secondary market and new silver jewelry production comes from Thailand and Mexico as well as the American Southwest. The buyer who can read the marks wins the best silver jewelry.
Silver Jewelry Markings Give the Silver Content
Sterling silver standard in the United States is set at 92.5 percent silver with 7.5 percent alloy to make the jewelry more durable. This is often marked as .925 on the inside of a bracelet or ring, or on the clasp of a necklace or bracelet. The .925 mark is sterling silver, but so is .950 sterling, containing more silver than required for sterling.
Jewelry marked .800 is 80 percent silver and is often of European origin. Silver marked .900 is not sterling silver by American standards, but is 90 percent silver. Sometimes European silver is marked .835. These are coin silver marks.
Country of Origin is Often Revealed in Silver Jewelry Markings
Some countries mark jewelry for import with the name of the country clearly imprinted. India and Mexico often do. Thailand sometimes marks Thai, but often uses two initials and the .925 number. Old Thailand silver jewelry is marked “SIAM Sterling” as that was the name of the country when Siam silver jewelry imports arrived in the United States in the 1950s.
Mexican jewelry since 1970 is marked with a combination of letters and numbers like “TC-380” and should be marked .925 or sterling, but these stamped marks are not always clear. Mexico silversmiths marked jewelry occasionally with "plata" and often with "Hecho in Mexico" along with a logo for sterling for many years prior to 1970.
Silver jewelry from the American Southwest may be marked with the name of the maker and sometimes the Native American tribe. Navajo and Zuni jewelry is often stamped or signed with a stylus. Companies like Bell Trading Post of Albuquerque used a logo mark. Identify other American silver marks online. The 925-1000 website has silver hallmarks from all countries organized by country of origin in alphabetical order. Not all sterling silver jewelry is marked, and this is particularly true of handcrafted pieces made in the United States, not made for export.
Silver jewelry is marked so the consumer can read the markings to find the country of origin and the silver content. Alpaca, nickel silver and German silver are not sterling, but are sold in collectibles shops and secondary markets as sterling silver. Silverplate has a coat of silver over a base metal and is often marked as plated silver. Recognize silverplate by wear on the points, visible with a loupe or magnifying glass. A test kit is available for confirming sterling silver on unmarked pieces. It is easier to determine what is not sterling silver by interpreting the silver jewelry marks and looking carefully at the points.
Linda Richard - Writer, proofreader, editor, antiques appraiser specializing in pottery and glass. Author of Retirement Living Guide series.
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