Is it sterling silver?
'Sterling' — STER-ling. The English word is used in Italian.
Ask to confirm silver purity when buying silver jewellery. Sterling silver (92.5% pure) is the standard for quality silver jewellery. Cheaper silver alloys or silver-plated items look similar but are less durable.
Sterling silver = argento sterling or 'argento 925'. The '925' stamp (92.5% silver, 7.5% alloy — usually copper) is the standard Italian and EU mark. 'Argento placcato' = silver-plated (a thin layer of silver over a base metal). 'Alpacca' = nickel silver (no actual silver content).
È placcato o in argento pieno?
Is it plated or solid silver?
Checks plating vs solid.
Ha il marchio 925?
Does it have the 925 mark?
Looks for the stamp.
È alpacca?
Is it nickel silver?
Alpacca looks like silver but contains no silver.
Silver tarnishing ('ossidazione') is natural and not a defect. A silver polishing cloth ('panno lucida argento') removes tarnish in seconds. Italian silversmiths sometimes deliberately oxidise silver for artistic effect — called 'argento brunito' (burnished silver).