Sterling silver is a solid alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal, usually copper, so the piece is silver through its whole thickness. Silver-plated jewellery has a base of brass, copper or another alloy with a thin layer of silver deposited on the surface, so it looks the same when new but behaves very differently after a few months of wear.
Both are made in Rajkot, which is one of India's main centres for silver jewellery as well as imitation pieces. The difference matters for your cost, for how you describe the product, and for how many customers come back unhappy.
How they differ in use
- Wear: a scratch on sterling shows more silver underneath. A scratch through plating shows yellow brass or red copper.
- Tarnish: both tarnish, because silver reacts with sulphur in the air. Sterling can be polished back to bright again and again. Polishing plated silver removes the layer you are trying to save.
- Weight and feel: sterling is heavier for the same design, and buyers often notice it in the hand.
- Allergies: sterling is generally well tolerated. Plated pieces depend on the base metal and any nickel underlayer, which can show through once the silver wears.
- Repair: sterling can be soldered, resized and refinished. Plated pieces are usually replaced rather than repaired.
Rhodium on sterling
Many sterling pieces from Rajkot are rhodium plated to slow tarnish and give a whiter, brighter colour. That is a finish on top of solid silver, not a substitute for it. Over time the rhodium may wear at contact points, but the silver underneath is still silver, and the piece can be replated.
Cost and customs
Sterling is priced largely on the weight of silver, so its cost moves with the silver market. Plated pieces are priced mainly on labour, base metal and plating, so they are far cheaper per piece and much less sensitive to metal prices.
The two are also classified differently at customs. Sterling silver jewellery falls under precious metal jewellery, while plated base-metal pieces are imitation jewellery. Your forwarder needs the correct description, and your duty rate may differ between them.
How to check what you received
Sterling from a reputable maker is usually stamped 925 on a discreet spot. A stamp alone proves little, so ask for an XRF reading of the metal on a sample, which shows the silver content in seconds. In India, hallmarking of silver by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is voluntary at the time of writing, so many genuine sterling pieces are not hallmarked.
If a quote for sterling looks close to the price of plated brass, it is not sterling. Ask the maker to state the alloy on the invoice.
What this means for a buyer
Choose sterling for pieces you want to last years and sell at a higher price, and plated silver for fashion items with a short life. Describe each honestly on your listings. Creston & Co works for buyers only, for a fixed fee agreed in writing: we visit the workshops, have the metal checked and samples tested at NABL-accredited labs, and supervise packing. Ask for a free sourcing review.