Is it really silver?

A stamp such as 925, .925, Sterling or Ster. tells you what the maker says the metal is. Stamping is a manufacturing step, not an independent check, so a stamp can be put on metal that does not meet it. Treat it as supporting evidence, not proof.

A hallmark is different from a maker's stamp. In India, a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) hallmark means a sample of the article was tested at a BIS-recognised assaying and hallmarking centre.

Since 1 September 2025, a BIS silver hallmark has three parts:

1. The BIS standard mark with the word SILVER.
2. The purity grade, such as 925.
3. A six-character alphanumeric HUID, the Hallmark Unique Identification code for that individual article.

Hallmarking for silver is voluntary in India: a silver piece can be sold without a hallmark. When a silver article is hallmarked, the HUID is now mandatory. Earlier silver hallmarks, applied before the HUID system, used a different format with the assaying centre's mark and the jeweller's mark.

For comparison, hallmarking of gold jewellery has been mandatory in notified districts since June 2021.

You can check a hallmarked silver article yourself. Enter its HUID in the Verify HUID feature of the official BIS CARE app on Android or iOS. The app shows the article's purity, the type of article, the registered jeweller and the assaying centre that tested it. If those details do not match the piece and your invoice, ask the seller.

1. Read the material description. It should state the metal and fineness, any plating, the weight where relevant and the stone types.
2. Look for markings. A fineness stamp, and in India any BIS hallmark with a HUID you can verify.
3. Consider the seller. Reputable sellers describe materials clearly and consistently across every listing.
4. Keep the invoice. It should describe the product and its material accurately. It matters for returns, insurance and any future questions.
5. Use professional testing when it matters. For an inherited, second-hand or high-value piece, a qualified jeweller or assaying centre gives far stronger evidence than any home experiment.

Many "silver tests" shared online are rough indicators at best, and some damage jewellery.

• The magnet test. Silver is not attracted to a magnet, so a strong pull suggests the metal is not solid silver. But copper, brass and many other base metals are not attracted either, so no pull proves nothing. A clasp or spring made from a different metal can also confuse the result.
• The ice test. Silver conducts heat better than any other metal, so ice melts quickly on it. Copper is close behind, so this cannot separate silver from other metals.
• The bleach test. Chlorine bleach damages metal alloys and many gemstones. Never use it on jewellery.
• Scratch and acid tests at home. These remove or mark metal and can ruin plating and finishes. Leave them to professionals.

Assaying centres use more than one method. At BIS hallmarking centres, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), a non-destructive scan, is used to screen articles. Purity is then confirmed by a laboratory assay of a small sample taken from the article, following the Indian standard method. That is why a verified hallmark carries much more weight than a stamp.