Is a silver scandal out there brewing?
After reading about Brian who checked Wal-Mart, Bells, a pawn store and a Jewelry store and finding that their "sterling" was attracted to a magnet, I went out yesterday and did the same thing. I went to the Richardson Square Mall in Richardson, Texas. I bought a magnet from Sears and went on my journey. First stop was one of those Kiosks called the Silver Mine. Should have been called the steel mine. Anyway, all of the "sterling" I tested was magnetic except one of the smallest chains. Every heavy piece was magnetic. The vendor insisted it was sterling and said I was wrong.
Next stop, Kay Jewelers (Big chain), They sell a line they claim is sterling and is treated so it will never tarnish. One 18" chain was $160.00. All of it was magnetic. The store manager said that he knows for a FACT that it is sterling. I asked him if he saw it manufactured? He said no. Then I said "You can't then know for a fact." Unless he had it assayed. He still insisted it was sterling and wanted me to go away. Off to Zales. They don't sell silver. Next to Bellini Jewelers. This is not a chain. The owner was there. I tested his one flat of "sterling" silver chains and all but one were magnetic. He was indignant that I told him his chains were not sterling and was very belligerent. He insisted that he would continue selling the chains as sterling so long as he bought them as sterling silver. He wanted me to go harass Kay Jewelers because they were bigger than he was. I asked what that had to do with it? He didn't answer. I told him I would contact the authorities. Next to Sears! They had lots of "sterling", about 60% was magnetic. The area manager was very concerned and would bring it to the store manager's attention. I researched this issue on the Web and found lots of stuff.
To summarize, to be called "sterling" in the U.S.A., the piece must be 92.5% silver. However, all references I could find only listed copper as the other alloy. One said zinc but a jeweler friend I talked to told me that zinc would boil off at the temperature it takes to melt silver.
So, there we have it! Massive quantities of "silver" that is NOT SILVER in the stores. It must be tons and tons all across the country. This is unbelievable! What disgusts me the most is that three out of four vendors insisted the chains were silver when the magnetic properties were staring them right in the face! What a massive fraud! Now we know what is supplying the 110 Million silver deficit, steel! What a huge scandal! Where are the regulators that so many of the sheeple trust? I am going to buy a magnetic sterling chain and have it tested. I'll let you know the results. Send the army out with magnets, let's test the world!
Went back to Sears. They are still selling the magnetic silver. I talked to 2 more supervisors who took my name and phone number. They will check into it on Monday to see what is going on. They seemed concerned and wanted to fix the problem. Next, I went to Wal-Mart. They had silver jewelry and I bought a $5.00 magnetic "sterling silver" bracelet made by Savant. I am going to have it tested by an expert. All of the Savant silver chains were magnetic. The clerk was concerned but did not think Wal-Mart management would care.
~~~~~~~
My own inquiring mind wanted to test this out. I don't own any silver jewelry, but I did purchase a pair of silver earrings for my daughter a few years back. As I wandered through her bedroom looking for them I realized it was hopeless. Scratch that - the disarray was unbelievable and they were probably vacuumed up a long time ago. Then I remembered the silver candlesticks my grandmother gave me a few months ago as she was packing for her move to the assisted living apartment. The were made by the International Silver Co.- I tried them and the magnet fell right off.
Just to be sure I tired it on an Engelhard 999+ Fine Silver bar. Sure enough the magnet wasn't the least bit attracted.
If anyone has any sterling silver jewelry I'd be interested in your findings, also include if the pieces were stamped or not.
After reading about Brian who checked Wal-Mart, Bells, a pawn store and a Jewelry store and finding that their "sterling" was attracted to a magnet, I went out yesterday and did the same thing. I went to the Richardson Square Mall in Richardson, Texas. I bought a magnet from Sears and went on my journey. First stop was one of those Kiosks called the Silver Mine. Should have been called the steel mine. Anyway, all of the "sterling" I tested was magnetic except one of the smallest chains. Every heavy piece was magnetic. The vendor insisted it was sterling and said I was wrong.
Next stop, Kay Jewelers (Big chain), They sell a line they claim is sterling and is treated so it will never tarnish. One 18" chain was $160.00. All of it was magnetic. The store manager said that he knows for a FACT that it is sterling. I asked him if he saw it manufactured? He said no. Then I said "You can't then know for a fact." Unless he had it assayed. He still insisted it was sterling and wanted me to go away. Off to Zales. They don't sell silver. Next to Bellini Jewelers. This is not a chain. The owner was there. I tested his one flat of "sterling" silver chains and all but one were magnetic. He was indignant that I told him his chains were not sterling and was very belligerent. He insisted that he would continue selling the chains as sterling so long as he bought them as sterling silver. He wanted me to go harass Kay Jewelers because they were bigger than he was. I asked what that had to do with it? He didn't answer. I told him I would contact the authorities. Next to Sears! They had lots of "sterling", about 60% was magnetic. The area manager was very concerned and would bring it to the store manager's attention. I researched this issue on the Web and found lots of stuff.
To summarize, to be called "sterling" in the U.S.A., the piece must be 92.5% silver. However, all references I could find only listed copper as the other alloy. One said zinc but a jeweler friend I talked to told me that zinc would boil off at the temperature it takes to melt silver.
So, there we have it! Massive quantities of "silver" that is NOT SILVER in the stores. It must be tons and tons all across the country. This is unbelievable! What disgusts me the most is that three out of four vendors insisted the chains were silver when the magnetic properties were staring them right in the face! What a massive fraud! Now we know what is supplying the 110 Million silver deficit, steel! What a huge scandal! Where are the regulators that so many of the sheeple trust? I am going to buy a magnetic sterling chain and have it tested. I'll let you know the results. Send the army out with magnets, let's test the world!
Went back to Sears. They are still selling the magnetic silver. I talked to 2 more supervisors who took my name and phone number. They will check into it on Monday to see what is going on. They seemed concerned and wanted to fix the problem. Next, I went to Wal-Mart. They had silver jewelry and I bought a $5.00 magnetic "sterling silver" bracelet made by Savant. I am going to have it tested by an expert. All of the Savant silver chains were magnetic. The clerk was concerned but did not think Wal-Mart management would care.
~~~~~~~
My own inquiring mind wanted to test this out. I don't own any silver jewelry, but I did purchase a pair of silver earrings for my daughter a few years back. As I wandered through her bedroom looking for them I realized it was hopeless. Scratch that - the disarray was unbelievable and they were probably vacuumed up a long time ago. Then I remembered the silver candlesticks my grandmother gave me a few months ago as she was packing for her move to the assisted living apartment. The were made by the International Silver Co.- I tried them and the magnet fell right off.
Just to be sure I tired it on an Engelhard 999+ Fine Silver bar. Sure enough the magnet wasn't the least bit attracted. If anyone has any sterling silver jewelry I'd be interested in your findings, also include if the pieces were stamped or not.
So who do we tell about this?