925 Sterling Silver vs Silver-Plated: How to Tell the Difference

Not all "silver" jewellery is the same. Understanding the difference between 925 sterling silver and silver-plated pieces helps you buy with confidence and protects your money.

Sterling silver (925)

Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver all the way through. It holds its value, can be polished and re-polished for years, and carries a 925 hallmark. This is the standard for genuine silver jewellery.

Silver-plated

Silver-plated jewellery is a base metal (like brass) with a very thin silver coating on top. It is cheaper, but the plating wears off over time, exposing the metal underneath. It has little resale value.

How to tell them apart

• Look for the stamp: Genuine sterling is marked "925" or "sterling".
• Check the price: A price far below the silver rate is a red flag.
• Watch for wear: Plated pieces show a different colour where the coating rubs off.
• Buy hallmarked: Hallmarking is your strongest guarantee of purity.

A note on gold-plated silver: this is different from cheap plating — it is genuine sterling silver with a gold finish, giving you the look of gold with the value of real silver underneath.

Why buy hallmarked silver

At SriJothi Jewellery our collection is hallmarked 925 sterling silver, so you get certified purity. For investment, we also stock pure silver bars & coins. Visit our Spencer Plaza showroom to see the difference for yourself.