Silver jewellery is elegant and timeless, but not all silver items you buy or keep at home are pure. Since pure silver is a very soft metal, jewellers usually mix it with copper, zinc or other alloys to make the jewellery strong and durable. However, excessive mixing or using cheap metals can reduce purity—and in many cases, even make the jewellery fake.

If you want to quickly check whether your anklet, toe ring, or any other silver ornament is genuine, here are easy and reliable home tests that reveal the truth.

1. Tarnishing Test: Does the Jewellery Turn Black Quickly?

Pure silver naturally oxidizes over time, but fake or heavily mixed silver turns black much faster.

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  Real silver darkens slowly.

  
  


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  Fake metal reacts instantly with air, sweat and moisture.

  
  


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  If your anklet or toe ring becomes black within a few days, it indicates low purity or mixing with cheap metals.

  
  

✔ Early darkening = more impurities

✔ Slow discoloration = higher purity

2. Magnet Test: The Fastest Way to Identify Fake Silver

One of the most trusted home methods to check authenticity is the magnet test.

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  Real silver is not magnetic.

  
  


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  If your jewellery sticks, moves, or pulls toward a magnet, it is definitely fake.

  
  

This is one of the most effective, quick and beginner-friendly identification tests.

3. Bite Test: Softness Indicates Real Silver

Pure silver is slightly soft and leaves a minor mark when gently pressed.

Try this:

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  Lightly press the jewellery with your teeth.

  
  


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  If a small dent or impression appears, it suggests real silver.

  
  


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  Fake or mixed metals are harder and show no marks.

  
  

Note: Do this carefully to avoid damaging delicate jewellery.

4. Rub Test: Does It Leave a Color Mark?

Another simple test is to rub the jewellery on a white surface.

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  Real silver does not leave black or grey streaks.

  
  


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  If color rubs off, it means the jewellery has plating or mixed low-quality metals.

  
  


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  Cheap silver-coated jewellery will shed its top layer during the test.

  
  

✔ No stain = Real or high-purity silver

✘ Color stain = Fake or low-purity jewellery

5. Ice Test: Silver Conducts Heat Quickly

Silver has high thermal conductivity. This makes the ice test extremely accurate.

How to check:

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  Place a small ice cube on the jewellery.

  
  


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  If the ice melts very quickly, your silver is real.

  
  


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  If the ice melts slowly or shows no reaction, the metal is not genuine silver.

  
  

Fake metals do not conduct heat as effectively as real silver.

6. Check for Hallmark: The Most Reliable Proof

If you want 100% assurance, always look for hallmarking on your silver items.

Pure silver jewellery should have:

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  BIS logo

  
  


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  Purity mark (like 925 for sterling silver)

  
  


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  A 6-digit HUID code

  
  

These marks should be clear, bright, and unscratched.

Hallmarking is the strongest and most authentic way to confirm purity in India.

Final Tip

If your jewellery fails more than one of the above tests, it is likely not pure silver. Always buy silver items from trusted jewellers and insist on BIS-hallmarked products to avoid fraud.