Be Extremely Cautious When Purchasing Silver Cutlery

Whether you’re looking for a silver cutlery set to add to your dining experience or purchasing it as an investment, you’ll need to know what to look for.

Sterling silver adds beauty and elegance to any tabletop and is also an investment. You won’t want to get caught buying silver plated goods, however, since they don’t stand up and are virtually worthless as an investment opportunity.

Silver as an heirloom

Silver can last for many generations and be passed down from one generation to the next. It creates a family history and can be viewed as a symbol of continuity in a family. As it is passed down the lines, it will also rise in value.

Look for the hallmarkThere are a number of silver manufacturers that offer products which are worth more than others. Other brands are extremely exclusive and rare to find while others offer beautiful pieces with detail to design.

The hallmark on the cutlery pieces shows you who exactly made them and gives you an idea of their value. You can simply search for the hallmark on the Internet in order to find price estimates for the pieces you have purchased.

Be careful when making your purchaseIf there is no hallmark or marking on the silver cutlery, there is a good chance that it is fake. Make sure that you look through each separate piece if you are buying a second-hand set or if you’re getting a set through the Internet ask the seller whether all pieces are hallmarked.

It is extremely difficult for an amateur to be able to tell whether a cutlery piece is pure silver or not. There are certain tests that can be done but these will require specialized equipment that only the experts will own. Even if a seller assures you that the cutlery is silver, don’t take him for his word. Ask for a certificate that shows that the pieces have been tested and proven to be sterling silver.

A quick test you can do on your ownOne of the ways that you can tell whether the beautiful necklace that you see at your neighborhood garage sale is not silver is to take a magnet along with you and test it.

If it is plated, it will usually stick to the magnet and you’ll know instantly that the jewelry piece you have in your hand isn’t pure. This doesn’t let you know conclusively that it is silver but if it sticks , you know for sure that you should just lay that piece aside.

Silver is a wonderful investment in any way, shape or form. Whether you plan on purchasing silver cutlery, coins, jewelry or silver bars do your due diligence first and you may end up with a nice silver investment that rises in value over the years.Author Bio
Sharon Freeman is a professional freelancer who writes about silver and the latest trends in the investing world.