10/23/2015
Public Service announcement:
Not sure where I saw the add just wanted to give folks the facts. buyer beware sort of thing on Tibetan silver. I am a silversmith though this is not an advertisement for my services. Always look for it to say made from either .925 sterling silver or sterling silver.
If you have bought and item or are looking at an item that claims to be Sterling Silver there is an easy test... With clean hands rub the metal until its warm if you smell copper its not real silver. I am adding a blurb from Wikipedia on the subject fyi
Tibetan silver
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tibetan silver is used primarily in jewelry components, and is similar to pewter - an alloy of copper, and sometimes tin or nickel, with a small percentage of pure silver. Its overall appearance is of aged silver, but it can be polished to provide highlights on complex castings. Today, the nickel content is reduced or absent, due to common allergies to this metal.
The related term 'Nepalese silver', however, seems to have held on to the higher silver content and association with quality metalsmithing.
Currently, jewelry, beads and castings described as 'Tibetan Silver' tend to be a base iron 'cheese metal' casting, overlaid with this pewter and silver plating. Dependent on source, these can be either thick and robust, or attractive but easily broken due to a loose, fragile inner casting. The latter productions are therefore only suitable for small castings up to around 12 mm, or transient 'fashion' jewelry with a short lifespan.
EBay put on a Buyer's Advisory warning about the possible dangers of Tibetan Silver sold through their site. EBay's Buyer's Advisory
