Silver Jewellery Guide: 925 vs Pure Silver, Designs, Prices & Care
Key takeaways
925 silver, also called sterling silver, is genuine silver: 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metal, usually copper. It is the best grade for jewellery because 999 silver bends and scratches easily. In India, silver hallmarking is voluntary, but every hallmarked piece must carry a HUID. Silver tarnishes, but that does not mean it is fake.
For most silver jewellery, 925 sterling silver is the right choice. It is real silver: 92.5% silver plus 7.5% other metal, usually copper, for strength. Pure 999 silver is too soft for rings, bangles and anklets, so keep it for coins and puja items.
This guide is for first-time buyers, gift buyers and families moving from gold to silver. It shows how to check purity, why prices vary and how to stop tarnish. Our 925 silver rate was ₹223 per gram on 4 October 2026.
What Is the Difference Between 925 and Pure Silver?
The only difference is how much silver sits in every 1,000 parts of metal. In 925 silver, 925 parts are silver. In 999 silver, 999 parts are.
So 925 vs 999 silver comes down to strength against purity. Fine silver, the 999 grade, is soft. A 999 ring would scratch fast and could slowly lose its shape. That's why jewellers add a little copper. The refiner MMTC-PAMP explains in its guide to silver grades that sterling silver is an alloy of silver and copper.
Is 925 Silver Real Silver?
Yes, 925 silver is real silver. "Sterling silver" is simply its other name. MMTC-PAMP also calls 925 the most common silver grade in jewellery. So sterling silver jewellery and 925 silver jewellery are the same thing. Every piece on our silver collection page states 92.5% purity, utensils included.
Which Silver Is Best for Jewellery: 925 or 999?
For anything you wear, 925 wins. It holds clasps, settings and fine designs, and it survives daily knocks. Pure silver jewellery does exist, but it suits light pieces that don't take knocks. Pick 999 when you want maximum metal value, as in coins or small puja items that sit still. Our metal guide also lists 99.9% silver chips for buyers who want plain metal.
Which Silver Purity Grades Does BIS Recognise?
The Bureau of Indian Standards recognises seven silver grades under IS 2112:2025: 800, 835, 925, 958, 970, 990 and 999. The government portal Vikaspedia lists them in its explainer on silver hallmarking. Grades 958 and 999 were added in this revision.
BIS grade | Silver content | What to know |
|---|---|---|
800 | 80% | Lowest BIS grade; more alloy, more tarnish |
835 | 83.5% | Recognised grade, rarely seen in jewellery shops |
925 | 92.5% | Sterling silver; the jewellery standard |
958 | 95.8% | Added in the 2025 revision; softer than 925 |
970 | 97% | High purity, soft for daily wear |
990 | 99% | High purity, soft for daily wear |
999 | 99.9% | Fine silver; added in the 2025 revision |
You may see "935" or "950" on some guides. Neither is a BIS hallmark grade in India. A piece stamped 950 can still be good silver, but it cannot carry an Indian hallmark at that number.
Is Silver Jewellery Hallmarked in India?
Silver hallmarking in India is voluntary, as of 4 October 2026. BIS started the voluntary scheme in 2005. Since 1 September 2025, any silver piece that is hallmarked must also carry a HUID (a six-character ID code).
Mandatory hallmarking is on the way, but no date exists yet. In June 2026, BIS Director General Sanjay Garg said BIS would bring it in gradually. That comes from a PTI report on BIS plans for silver hallmarking. The same report says 59 lakh silver articles were hallmarked in 2025-26.
Our silver pieces are not BIS hallmarked at present, so we don't call them hallmarked. Instead, every product page states the purity and net weight. Both also appear on your bill.
How to Read a Silver Hallmark and HUID
A valid silver hallmark has three parts. You'll find the BIS standard mark with the word SILVER, the purity grade and the HUID. Type that HUID into the free BIS CARE app on Android or iOS. It shows the purity, the article type and the testing centre.
A lone "925" stamp is different. Anyone can stamp it. Treat it as a seller's claim, then check it against the bill.
How to Tell Real Silver From Plated or German Silver
Real silver jewellery has silver all the way through. Silver-plated jewellery has a thin silver skin over brass or copper. German silver, also sold as nickel silver, is copper, nickel and zinc with no silver at all. MMTC-PAMP's grade guide makes the same point about plated and silver-coloured metals.
That gap matters when you sell. A 20 g German silver anklet has no silver value. A 20 g 925 anklet holds about ₹4,460 of silver at today's rate [estimate].
Try these checks before you pay:
Ask for a bill that states purity and net weight in grams.
Look for a hallmark with HUID, and verify it on BIS CARE.
Hold a magnet close. Silver isn't magnetic, so a strong pull means a base metal.
Check worn edges. Yellow or red metal showing through means plating.
Ask the jeweller for an XRF test, which reads metal content without damage.
The magnet test only rules things out. Brass and copper don't stick to magnets either, so passing proves little.
Silver Jewellery Prices Today, by Category
On our site, silver jewellery starts at about ₹470 for light tops. A 408 g thala costs over ₹2 lakh. These ranges come from 801 silver product pages on our site, checked on 4 October 2026. Every piece is 92.5% silver.
Category | Net weight | Price range |
|---|---|---|
Lockets and pendants | 0.66–2.38 g | ₹628–₹2,433 |
Earrings (tops, bali and more) | 0.9–5.48 g | ₹471–₹5,747 |
Ladies rings | 1.14–11.53 g | ₹712–₹7,857 |
Gents rings | 2.08–9.29 g | ₹1,451–₹6,691 |
Silver mangalsutra | 3.2–7.02 g | ₹2,060–₹7,239 |
Chains | 2.12–27 g | ₹1,526–₹19,448 |
Necklaces | 8.22–28.62 g | ₹8,515–₹30,234 |
Ladies bangles | 7.25–19.98 g | ₹4,453–₹13,830 |
Men's kadas | 22.85–34.68 g | ₹10,182–₹21,490 |
Gents wristlets | 4.06–38.2 g | ₹2,744–₹25,396 |
Anklets | 2.68–37.77 g | ₹1,054–₹25,853 |
Baby bangles | 9.02–14.67 g | ₹6,319–₹10,231 |
Rakhis | 1.23–3.75 g | ₹765–₹1,878 |
Spoons | 9.02–20.96 g | ₹2,411–₹7,013 |
Glasses | 14.69–90.07 g | ₹7,913–₹44,314 |
Thalas | 18.89–408.2 g | ₹7,573–₹2,03,946 |
Prices follow the daily rate, so these numbers will drift. Import duty also feeds into the rate. On 13 May 2026, India raised the effective duty on silver to about 15%, from 6%. Business Today covered the change in its report on the gold and silver import duty hike.
How Is Silver Jewellery Price Calculated?
Silver jewellery price = net weight × today's silver rate + making charges + 3% GST. Net weight means silver only, without stones or thread. On 4 October 2026, our 925 rate was ₹223 per gram, or ₹2,23,000 per kg.
Here is a real bill from our site. Our Sleek Silver Line Chain (SKU S/4/24) weighs 2.118 g. On 4 October 2026, its price broke down like this:
Part of the price | Amount |
|---|---|
Silver: 2.118 g at the day's rate | about ₹471 |
Making charges (215% of metal value) | ₹1,011 |
GST at 3% | ₹44 |
Total | ₹1,526 |
Our making charges vary by category. Most are a percentage of metal value. On our product pages, they run from about 14% on some spoons to around 330% on small earrings. A few pieces carry a flat making amount instead. You can see the full breakup on each product page.
Why Small Pieces Cost More Than the Silver Rate
Small pieces take nearly as much hand work as big ones. But that work spreads over less silver. So a 1 g locket can cost about four times its metal value. A heavy plate, by contrast, costs far less per gram.
Design matters too. Two of our silver glasses weigh 88.09 g and 90.07 g. The heavier one costs ₹23,459, with making of roughly 14% [estimate]. The lighter one costs ₹44,314, with making of roughly 120% [estimate]. Same metal, very different labour.
If price per gram matters most, buy heavier, simpler pieces. If you want detail, accept that the making charge is what you're paying for.
Silver Jewellery for Women: Bangles to Mangalsutras
Silver jewellery for women covers everything from 1 g studs to 20 g bangles. For daily wear, pick smooth, closed designs without loose stones. They tarnish evenly and catch less on clothes.
Silver Bangles and Wristlets for Women
Our silver bangles for women weigh 7–20 g per listing. Slim pairs work for office wear. Check size first with our guide on how to measure bangle size at home. For lighter wrist pieces, see our silver wristlets for women.
Silver Pendants, Lockets and Mangalsutras
Our silver lockets weigh under 2.5 g, so they suit first-time buyers. Pair one with a silver locket chain or a plain silver chain. A silver mangalsutra of 3–7 g is a light option for daily wear. For a dressier look, browse our silver necklaces.
Silver Earrings and Rings for Women
Earrings are the cheapest way into real silver, so they suit first gifts too. Choose from silver earrings, small silver tops or hoop-style silver bali. New piercings need extra care, so read our ear piercing aftercare guide first. For rings, browse our silver rings for women. Our thumb ring guide for women covers sizing too.
Silver Anklets and Payal
Anklets take the most daily wear, so 925 matters here. Our silver anklets range from 2.68 g to 37.77 g. See current styles in our silver payal designs and prices guide. Prefer gold? Compare our gold anklet designs for women.
Silver Jewellery for Men: Kadas, Wristlets and Rings
Silver jewellery for men is mostly heavier pieces worn every day. Our silver kadas weigh about 23–35 g and cost ₹10,182 to ₹21,490 on 4 October 2026. That weight makes a kada hard to bend. For styles, see our gents kada designs for men.
For a lighter look, try our silver wristlets for men. Rings are next. Our silver rings for men weigh 2–9 g, and our ring for men guide explains sizing. Shopping for a gift? Our birthday gifts for husband in gold and silver list has ideas at several budgets.
Silver for Babies, Rituals and the Home
Many Indian families buy silver for a baby's first rice ceremony, for puja and for gifting. Our silver baby bangles weigh 9–15 g. For a baby's first anklet, see our silver anklet for baby girl designs. Prefer a gold first ring? Our baby gold ring designs list weights in grams.
For the home, we sell silver thalas, silver glasses, silver bati bowls and silver spoons. All of them are 925. A spoon starts at about 9 g. For Raksha Bandhan, our silver rakhi range weighs 1–4 g. Our silver rakhi designs and gift ideas guide shows more.
Oxidised, Polished or Plated: Which Finish to Pick
The finish changes the look and the care, not the purity underneath. Oxidised silver jewellery is darkened on purpose, so patterns stand out. Polished silver is bright white. Plated silver has a thin layer of gold or rhodium over the silver.
Gold-plated silver jewellery gives a gold look at a silver price. But plating wears through at rubbing points over time, fastest on rings. Silver jewellery with no plating needs only polishing to look new again.
Oxidised pieces need gentle care. Never use a dip or strong polish on them, or the dark detail will lift.
Why Does Silver Jewellery Turn Black?
Silver turns black when it reacts with sulphur in air, sweat and some cosmetics. That dark layer is silver sulphide, and it is called tarnish. Yes, 925 silver turns black over time. Real silver does this, so tarnish is not a sign of a fake.
Because of its copper, 925 tarnishes a little faster than 999. Humidity speeds it up, and so do perfume, hair spray and rubber bands. No silver grade is tarnish-proof, whatever a label says.
Still, wearing silver often helps. Skin and clothes gently rub the surface, so daily pieces tend to stay brighter than stored ones.
Can Silver Jewellery Cause Skin Irritation?
Most people wear 925 silver without trouble, but no metal suits everyone. DermNet, a dermatology reference, says in its page on jewellery allergy that nickel causes most jewellery allergy. It adds that nickel can appear as a trace element in silver.
Cheap silver-look jewellery is the bigger risk. It often uses a nickel-containing base metal under plating. German silver contains nickel by design.
A dark or green mark under a ring is different. It usually comes from tarnish or copper reacting with sweat, and it washes off. Itching, redness or blisters are another matter. If you see them, stop wearing the piece and see a dermatologist.
How to Clean and Store Silver Jewellery at Home
Clean silver jewellery with lukewarm water, a drop of mild dish soap and a soft toothbrush. Then rinse it and dry it fully with a cotton cloth. For light tarnish, rub with a silver polishing cloth.
Skip toothpaste and kitchen scrubs, because they scratch the surface. Heavy tarnish needs a commercial silver dip, used exactly as its label says.
Store each piece in its own zip-lock bag, with as little air as possible. An anti-tarnish strip in the jewellery box helps. Keep silver away from rubber, wool and damp bathrooms. That routine is all the silver jewellery care most pieces need.
We also offer complimentary lifetime cleaning and polishing at our showroom.
Can You Wear Silver Jewellery Every Day?
Yes, you can wear 925 silver jewellery every day. Simple, sturdy designs work best. A plain kada, a slim chain, small tops or a smooth anklet all hold up well. Take thin rings off for heavy lifting, as they can bend.
Does Silver Jewellery Have Resale Value?
Silver jewellery keeps its metal value, but you rarely get back what you paid. When you sell or exchange, most jewellers pay for net silver weight at that day's rate. Making charges and GST don't come back.
Take a 20 g 925 bangle. At ₹223 per gram, its silver is worth about ₹4,460 [estimate]. That is roughly what an exchange is built on. The rest of its price was labour and tax.
Our exchange policy is simple. You don't need the bill or a HUID, and there's no time limit. We deduct stone weight, making charges and GST. A gifted piece can be exchanged by the person who received it. Silver isn't returnable under our policy, though, so check size and weight before you buy.
Moving to silver because gold costs too much? Compare what a small budget buys in our guide to lightweight gold jewellery.
Where to Buy Silver Jewellery From Biswakarma
You can browse every piece online or see it at our Barasat showroom, near Subhash Maidan. Product pages list purity, net weight and the full price breakup. For gift ideas, see our birthday gifts for sister and wedding gifts for a couple lists.
Buying online? Our guide to safe online jewellery shopping in India covers the checks. Store policies are on our FAQ page. Questions? Call or WhatsApp us on +91 9874085669. More silver reading sits in our silver guides.