FTC Precious-Metal Jewelry Guidance

A buying guide and a more precise reference

The FTC's consumer article introduces the words and marks used to describe platinum, gold and silver jewelry. It also recommends checking the seller and obtaining return and refund policies in writing. For a buyer, its value is practical: it helps turn a vague description into questions that can be answered before payment.

For the exact U.S. guidance on silver descriptions, read section 23.5 of the Jewelry Guides. The consumer article is a useful introduction, but the detailed text matters when a listing uses an unusual alloy description or a qualified silver term.

Three descriptions worth separating

• Sterling silver: the Jewelry Guides reserve sterling, sterling silver and solid silver descriptions for material at least 925 parts per thousand pure silver, subject to the applicable tolerances.
• Coin silver: the guidance sets a minimum of 900 parts per thousand. The phrase describes fineness; it does not establish that the object was made from melted coins.
• Silver plate: a silver surface over another material. The description needs to make the coating clear; a silver appearance does not tell you the composition beneath it.

A number before “silver” can change the meaning

Do not treat every use of the word silver as a promise of sterling. Section 23.5 addresses qualified descriptions with an accurate, equally conspicuous fineness stated immediately before the word, giving 750 silver as an example. A description of 750 silver is therefore different from a claim of sterling.

Read the complete description and ask which parts it covers. A piece can combine different metals, stones, solder, handles or other components. Do not turn total item weight into silver weight without evidence about the construction and composition.

A short checklist before buying

1. Save the exact wording of the listing and request readable photographs of the marks. Keep a claimed fineness separate from a verified test result.
2. Ask whether the object is an alloy throughout or plated, and which components the stated metal content describes.
3. Confirm return and refund terms in writing, including the process if the item is materially different from its description.
4. Keep the invoice and correspondence. If a problem arises, try the seller first and use the FTC article's reporting routes when needed.

Descriptions are not an assay

The FTC guidance explains U.S. marketing descriptions; it does not test an object, authenticate a hallmark, identify a maker or value an antique. A 925 stamp is a claim to investigate, not conclusive proof of composition. Age, origin, craftsmanship and provenance require their own evidence.

Other countries have different hallmarking and consumer-protection systems. Use the relevant local authority for those questions. For a dispute or legal compliance decision, consult the current official text and an appropriately qualified adviser.

Keep researching

• GIA Gem Encyclopedia
• All collector resources