Hallmarks on Italian silver products - evolution

Updated: 03/25/2020

Unified hallmarks (markings) on silver products appeared in Italy much later than in other European countries. Until its unification in 1870, the country was a conglomerate of small principalities, kingdoms and cities that had the status of independent states. A significant part of Italy was divided between France, Austria, Spain and the Vatican, with borders constantly changing. As a result, silver markings were so complex and varied that jewelry historians were never able to create a unified classification.

Areas of application of 800 sterling silver

Low-grade silver is not widely used in various areas of human life. 800 silver is practically not used as jewelry, since it does not have the necessary characteristic properties and qualities. As already mentioned, on the territory of the Russian Federation, silver of this standard is one of the lowest, and is used in only a few areas. The main areas of application of 800 silver on an industrial scale are:

• Production of cutlery;
• Use as spraying;
• Manufacturing of parts for various accessories;
• Sometimes involved in the production of inexpensive souvenirs.

From the listed list of areas in which 800 sterling silver is used, one of the most basic and frequently used is the production of silver cutlery. Often, forks, spoons, knives and other similar utensils are made from such silver. This scope of application was formed based on the fact that silver of this grade does not have a high price, and accordingly, the cost of the final product will not be greatly inflated.

What goes with it?

Since 800 sterling silver is most often used exclusively in the production of cutlery, it is difficult to say what exactly it is combined with. As a rule, cutlery is not inlaid with any precious stones or foreign metals. However, there is one attractive combination of white and yellow gold in a silver set where silver plays a key role and is present in greater proportion.

If we talk about the production of various accessories, then 800 sterling silver goes well with gray metal, as well as with black materials. In such jewelry, silver plays an exclusively decorative role and increases the cost and significance of this accessory.

Alloy and sample: composition and characteristics

Despite a number of advantages, silver in its pure form has significant disadvantages. Argentum is a soft metal that is subject to rapid mechanical wear and is easily deformed.

To increase the strength of silver, it is alloyed, in other words, combined with other metals. As a result, a technical or jewelry alloy is formed. In this case, copper is usually used as an alloy, that is, an admixture of base metals. In some cases, silver can be combined with aluminum, nickel, zinc or cadmium.

Depending on the purpose of the alloy, the percentage of its components may vary. To navigate this issue, an indicator such as a sample was introduced. The sampling system used in the Russian Federation and post-Soviet countries has been in effect since 1927 and reflects the quantitative content of silver in the conglomerate. So, 800 silver standard is a compound in which 800 grams of argentum account for 200 grams of ligature. A hallmark is also called a mark affixed to a product.

In the Russian Federation, the following indicators characterizing the composition of silver jewelry alloys are relevant today:

Taking into account the ratio of silver and impurities of other metals, high-grade and low-grade alloys are distinguished. The approach to determining this standard does not coincide in different countries. In Russia, low-grade alloys include 800 standard. In Ukraine this figure is 750, in Egypt – 600.

Hallmarking of silver below 800 standard is not carried out in the Russian Federation. Compounds containing more than 20 percent alloying materials are classified as industrial metals. The requirements of international standards are similar.

The silver content in alloys in each state is regulated by national legislation. 800 standard is a guarantee of durability and practicality of a product made from this alloy. Such silver is widespread both in Russia and in Germany, Egypt, Turkey, France, Poland and many other countries.

Why does 800 silver turn black?

If we talk about the chemical activity of silver, it is worth mentioning that this material is one of the least active of all existing metals. There are many reasons for the loss of color and darkening of jewelry or silver items. One of the most important reasons is the effect of sulfur on the crystal lattice of silver. Sulfur is one of the main substances that can cause oxidation in 800 silver. During the interaction of silver and sulfur, the process of darkening of the metal itself occurs; this occurs due to the fact that during the interaction of these substances, a small film of sulfur sulfate is formed over the entire area of ​​​​the silver. Sulfur is found in the environment, including the air, although in small proportions. In addition, sulfur is found in human sweat. Moreover, in considerable quantities, which can lead to blackening and oxidation of products that contain 800 silver.

How to restore shine to silver

Today you can find dozens of ways to clean 800 silver products from various types of oxidation. All of them are not complicated and do not require expensive ingredients. Let's look at a few of them.

One of the most popular methods of cleaning 800 silver items is to use a solution of plain water and ammonia. To do this, you will need a liter of plain cold water, dilute a few tablespoons of alcohol, and then stir. Your product should be placed in it for 15 minutes, no more. After this procedure, you should rinse the product under running cool water and wipe dry.

For the second method you will also need a solution, although now it consists of soda, salt and water. The cleaning principle is approximately the same, but the product does not need to be left in place for more than 10 minutes. If you use these treatments several times a month, your product will never lose its original shine.

Silver and its hallmark

Many people believe that silver items are less valuable than gold items. This statement is not entirely true. Indeed, the white metal is cheaper than gold. But there are many nuances for precious metals, such as the composition of the alloy, the fineness and, if the metal is presented in the form of jewelry, the complexity and filigree of the master’s work. Together they form the final cost of the product. Let's talk in more detail about alloys and samples. Silver is a soft and pure metal; for everyday use, for example, in cutlery, it lacks hardness. Therefore, other metals (such as copper, aluminum, zinc, cadmium and nickel) are added to it for greater strength and durability. A mixture of a precious metal and another metal forms an alloy. Most often, copper is found in silver compositions, which gives it greater resistance to abrasion. An alloy with cadmium is rare because of its high cost, but in this case, silver will cost more than gold.

Depending on the percentage of precious metal in the alloy, its sample is isolated. That is, the sample is a numerical expression of the amount of pure silver per 1000 g of alloy. It turns out that silver alloy 800 means that 80% of the composition is formed by pure silver component, the rest is an additive, alloy. The content of other precious metals in compositions is clearly regulated by national legislation in each country and cannot be changed arbitrarily. Silver 800 is most common in Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Spain, Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Argentina and Russia. Due to the rather high copper content (20%), this composition is distinguished by a slight yellowish tint and quickly oxidizes in air. It has good casting properties, so cutlery is most often made from this alloy. 800 standard refers to lower grades.

Silver alloys actively interact with sulfur compounds in the air or on the human body, and therefore are prone to darkening.

Ozone, a thunderstorm messenger that fills the air and is contained in special devices called ozonizers, also causes color changes. Darkening is the main drawback of silver compounds. Special care, cleaning and storing silver items in closed cases will help you get rid of black and brownish deposits.

The emergence of official silver hallmarks in Italy

Arts and crafts developed in Italy over many centuries, but the history of the state itself began only at the end of the 19th century after the unification of disparate territories. There are practically no documents on the development of Italian jewelry before this period, unlike in Great Britain, France and Germany, where guilds for centuries regulated the rules for marking silver and recorded them on paper.

In 1872, the country passed a law introducing a unified system for marking precious metals. The document abolished mandatory inspections of silver items and introduced a number of signs that were recommended to be applied to items. Official bodies rarely checked the work of craftsmen. The mark was applied at the request of the jeweler, and there was no uniformity in marking.

The sample was designated by the image of a crowned female head in profile, each was assigned its own number. The design of the stamps was slightly different. On items made of silver of the 800th standard, the space around the design was noticeably pressed into the metal and the number 3 was placed; the more expensive 950th and 900th samples were marked with a convex mark and, respectively, the numbers 1 and 2.

Typically, jewelers neglected the recommended rules because they were not mandatory. Craftsmen preferred to mark the products with numbers, sometimes enclosing the mark in an oval.

Despite the lack of uniformity, the origin of Italian silverware from the late 19th and early 20th centuries is fairly easy to establish. Most jewelers developed their own hallmarks, including their names, city names, and sometimes the full address of the workshop. Curly letters and numbers were often used, by which the manufacturer of the product could be easily identified. As a result, the item might not have an official mark, but all the information about its origin was reflected.

Using 800 sterling silver

As already written above, the high copper content in the alloy increases the strength of the entire composition, so products of 800 silver standard have their own characteristics. They are best seen in places where there is a lot of stress on metal: cups and saucers for daily use, knife handles, writing utensils, cabinet parts. Along with increased hardness properties, the composition retains good malleability and ductility. Products made from 800 sterling silver are distinguished by increased strength, although they have a slight yellowish tint, indicating the high copper content in the alloy. For the Russian Federation, 800 standard is the smallest acceptable standard for the manufacture of products from precious metals that are subject to mandatory hallmarking. Compositions containing less than 80% silver are unsuitable for jewelry purposes. But they are successfully used in the electrical industry.

How to determine the share of silver if doubts arise when purchasing a product? First, purchase products in specialized stores. All products there must be marked with an assay mark indicating the sample (a magnifying glass may be needed). You can use special compounds called “authenticity test”; the reagent in it can be gold chloride, silver nitrate or potassium dichromate. If you couldn’t take the young chemist’s kit with you, let’s go back to grandma’s methods. The first of them recommends bringing the product to a magnet. Silver is not attracted. The second option is to hold the product in your hands or put it in hot water.

Silver has high thermal conductivity and heats up to the ambient temperature instantly. You can also rub the product with chalk: if the chalk turns black, the product is real. Choose wisely and 800 proof will last you a long time.