I recall there were some members on here that are also into Mexican pieces. I’m wondering if this marking of “SS” stands for sterling silver or if it could be a makers mark. It’s a 2 inch cuff. I am unable to find any information when I Google.
I believe those are actual makers initials. There are tons of unlisted artists out there I am finding. Had to break down and buy one of those expensive books for more ID fun! Best of luck!
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international standard stamp for sterling is .925 (92.5% pure silver). Coin silver is typically .800 (80%). If no stamps are present, you may want to have a jeweler test your cuff for silver content.
Indian Hammers in Gallup used to stamp their jewelry IHMSS for “Indian Handmade Sterling Silver”, but otherwise I’ve never seen “SS” used as a quality stamp.
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I have some beautiful Mexican silver so I guess I am a fan. I also have never seen SS used to represent sterling silver. I’ve seen .925, .925 Mexico and .925 Taxco. This looks like a makers mark to me too.
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Now I’m thinking SS could be stainless steel. Colour is funky in the light. Almost brassy
Tera, I did some checking on the SS stamp. Someone asked the same question on another site and showed a picture similar to the one you posted. Just like us, no one seemed to know the answer for sure, so I looked a little further and found an article on a jewelry blog that may solve the mystery, including the slightly yellowish tint of your piece. Seems it’s a pretty common question.
”There are so many varieties of silver on the market that it is easy to get confused when you hear these terms, such as sterling silver, silver plate, pure silver, fine silver, 925 silver, coin silver, nickel silver and so on.
One common question that is asked is, what is the difference between sterling silver and 925 silver. The short answer is, there is none. Sterling silver and 925 silver are different names for the same silver alloy.
Let’s break this down.
*Because pure silver is much too soft to be used in jewelry, it is often combined with other metals to create a more durable metal. When 92.5% of pure silver is mixed with 7.5% of other metals (often copper, nickel or zinc) the resulting alloy is called sterling silver. To identify it as such, the number 925 is stamped upon the silver, often in a hidden part of the jewelry. This number is known as the hallmark and denotes the percentage of silver purity in the alloy. In other words, 925 is the same as sterling silver, meaning that if there is any other stamp on the metal, it is not sterling silver. Alternately, the hallmarks STER, STG, SS and Sterling Silver may be stamped in place of 925.
However, there is a caveat to this.
This strict standard is followed in the USA but other countries may have their own sterling silver grades. For example, the Frenchemphasized text* standard for sterling silver requires 95% purity, which is higher than other countries. Always check the purity of the silver before you buy.*
So, to wrap up, there is no difference between the terms sterling silver and 925 silver, however the standards of sterling silver may differ depending on the country it comes from.”
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Sorry, that should have been Tara!
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Uh,my “pusher” warned me chemical check mexican silver.
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It’s the silver cartel!