What types of silver are there and which one is better to choose for decoration, silverware or investment

What types of silver are there?

Silver is a noble metal characterized by high ductility. Products made from it do not rust or oxidize. Due to the fact that silver is very soft, other metals are added to it to make jewelry and tableware, this prevents the products from deforming. To regulate the amount of impurities, and also to ensure that the buyer is confident in the quality of the purchase, the concept of “sample” arose.

Ring, hallmark on 925 silver

Buyers are often interested in the question of what grade silver is. Russian silver products meet international standards when assayed. Copper is most often added to jewelry - the metals interact well with each other. If jewelers add cadmium to a piece of jewelry, its price increases noticeably.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQUdbjKq7A0

Nickel, aluminum, and zinc can be mixed with silver, but copper in the alloy is a generally accepted classic.

925 silver tableware

There are many standards of silver, in poor countries it is acceptable to use 600, but 800 is considered minimally acceptable. The more alloys added to a product, the stronger the tint it will have. How can you tell whether someone is offering you good or bad silver? For example, in jewelry of the 600th standard, a red tint is clearly visible - due to the critical copper content. Such products oxidize quickly (silver is not subject to oxidation, but copper is not).

Jewelers in Russia use 720-grade silver to make various decorative trinkets: cufflinks, locks, springs, needles and fasteners. Utensils are made from 800-grade silver: spoons, forks, pepper shakers and salt shakers, shot glasses, glasses and mugs, oil dishes and other kitchen utensils. You need to take good care of these cutlery by cleaning them regularly. 875 silver is still of low quality, but not only tableware, but also interior decorations are already made from it.

High-quality products contain 916 grams of silver per 1 kg of alloy. Often, various sets are made from such an alloy, which are decorated with gilding or covered with enamel.

Silver rings, earrings, pendants or chains are made from 960-carat alloy, which practically does not differ in its properties from pure precious metal. They look sophisticated and elegant, but require careful handling and careful maintenance. Products with a high admixture of silver are very soft and ductile.

999 silver

In Japan and other countries of the Far East, there are products made of silver of the highest standard - 1000th. Residents believe in the mystical power of the metal; they believe that it is connected with the Moon and endowed with magical properties. During manufacturing, it is not mixed with ordinary “base” metals.

Separately, it should be said about the royal silver of the 84th standard. Now you can hardly find it anywhere except in family sets, museums and antique stores, and also, not surprisingly, at flea markets. It was made in Russia even before the revolution. In those days there was a different measurement system - the sample was measured in spools.

Silver samples

X825 – Geekworm

X825 V1.2 only for Raspberry pi 4 model b X825 V1.2 only for Raspberry pi 4 model b X825 V1.2 only for Raspberry pi 4 model b Wrong power supply will damage X825 X825 metal case for X825 board 2.5" sata and Pi 4B

Preface

1. Please send the problem information with order numbers and purchase link to our support email: If you need after-sales support, it will be a great help to solve the problem quickly, thanks in advance.

2. What do you need to use Raspberry Pi X825 2.5" SATA Storage Board?

1. A Raspberry Pi 4 board, model B
2. A X825 Board
3. A DC 5V 4A power supply (use high quality power supply)
4. 2.5" SATA Hard Drives (HDD) or Solid State Drives (SSD) 【Samsung SSD is not recommended as we have found Samsung EMC SSD to be serious】
5. A X735 power management board for intelligent power management and cooling of Raspberry Pi (Additionally, when using an X735 momentary switch board equipped with an X825 chassis, 2 jumpers must be removed on the X735!)
6. A X825 Use a metal case (optional, due to Raspberry Pi USB 3.0, 5G AP is recommended if using a case)

For more questions, see the FAQ

Review

The X825 expansion board is a complete storage solution for the latest raspberry pi 4, it supports up to 4TB of 2.5" SATA Hard Drive (HDD) / Solid State Drive (SSD). Only 2.5 inch SATA HDD/SDD interface is suitable for X825 board;

It is upgraded from raspberry pi 3b+/3b X820 V3.0 2.5" SATA SSD expansion board.(Refer to X820 if you want to use 2.5" SATA SSD on raspberry pi 3b+/3b/2b)

Characteristics

for use with

operating system

• All Raspberry Pi operating systems

Main characteristics

• Ideal Storage Solution for Raspberry Pi 4 – 2.5" SATA HDD/SSD Shield
• Supports up to 4TB of 2.5" SATA Hard Drives (HDD)/Solid State Drives (SSD) (Theoretically it can also handle 6TB or 8TB. ​​But we don't actually test the X825 board with 6 or 8 HDD capacity TB, you can try.) 【I do not recommend using Samsung SSD】
• Integrated USB 3.1 Gen1 to SATA 6Gbps Bridge Controller

Connection

• USB3.1 Gen1 5Gbps provides plug-and-play functionality on your Raspberry Pi
• Allows you to boot OS from HDD/SSD for faster opening of applications, web serving and copying files (see notes)
• Built-in button to control power on/off (press and hold the button for at least 2s - OFF)
• Onboard Xh3.54 power connector allows you to power other devices
• Red LED indicates power status and blue LED indicates drive status
• External self-contained power supply - does not require power from the Raspberry Pi USB port
• Powers Raspberry Pi - no additional power supply for RPi
• Duplicate HDMI port of Raspberry Pi
• Fully compatible with X735 for intelligent power management and cooling of Raspberry Pi
• Fully compatible with X710 for wide input voltage (6~36V) and intelligent power management
• Fully compatible with X765 for Power over Ethernet (POE, 5V 5A)
• Fully compatible with X725 for uninterruptible power supply (UPS 18650, 5.1V 8A, WOL)

Specification

• Power supply: 5Vdc +/- 5%, 4A
• Ports and connectors:

1. DC Jack - 5.5x2.5mm, USB Jack - USB 3.0 Type A,
2. Power output connector - Xh3.54 2-pin
3. Power switch connector -Ph3.0 4-pin

Notes

• A microSD card is required to force the Raspbian OS to use the HDD/SSD as the "root" partition.
• For use with original power supply only
• WARNING: Do not connect the Raspberry Pi to the Pi's 40-pin connector and the Type-C connector at the same time.

Devices

• USB 3.0 can create radio frequency interference that can cause Wi-Fi and other wireless devices operating in the 2.4 GHz band to have trouble communicating with the Raspberry Pi4. To avoid interference on the 2.4 GHz band when using Wi-Fi, try using the 5 GHz band instead. If the problem still exists, turn off Wi-Fi and use a wired network instead.

Power Supply Requirements

• Power supply: 100 - 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz input, 5 VDC, 4 A output
• DC plug size: 5.5*2.5mm
• Important Note: Use high quality DC 5V 4A power supply, the best choice is to buy DC 5V 4A power supply provided by Geekworm. If you are using a low quality power supply, it will likely damage your 2.5" HDD/SSD.

How to connect

Installation Guide

Installation video

Installation Guide Guide

Packing list

• X825 board x 1
• USB3.1 jumper x 1
• Power daughter board x 1
• 2-pin power wire x 1
• Spacer F/F M3 x 15 mm x 4
• Spacer F/F M2.5 x 12 mm x 4
• Spacer M/F M2.5 x 11 mm x 1
• Screw M2.5 x 5mm x 8
• Screw M3 x 6 mm x 6

Note: Raspberry pi and 2.5" SATA HDD/SSD are not included in the packing list.

Document

Some tips

FAQ

Q1: HDD/SDD not detected?

• This is a complex question, but we can check it on these points. Please refer to How to check X825

Power supply is very important for X825, some low quality power supplies may damage your board or not recognize HDD/SDD, so it is highly recommended to use this CE/UL/FCC/GS certificate DC 5V 4A power supply.

Q2: Do I need external power supply for x825 board?

• Yes, here's the spec: 5V and 4A with a 5.5mm barrel jack, and don't connect the Raspberry Pi via the 40-pin Pi connector and the Type-C connector at the same time.

Q3: Does X825 support USB boot?

Q4: Why can't X825 recognize the hard disk when transferring large data?

• This situation is not related to the hardware, try checking and updating the firmware. We have a test continuous copy of data exceeding 15 GB on Windows.

Q5: What is the pinout of the PWR switch?

Q6: What is the polarity of X825 DC 5V port?

• For DC port: inside +5V, outside - GND.

Q7: Why does Raspberry Pi freeze when connecting X825?

• Please try formatting the drive and try again.

Q8: Do X Series NAS screens support UASP?

A: 2.5", 3.5" screen NAS (such as X825 X829 X829 X835 X832) uses JMS583 IC, and all of them support UASP ( NOTE: Does not support UASP in earlier versions， released before July 1, 2021.

) to prevent the HDD/SDD from hibernating,

, but M.2 MSATA SSD (X862) only supports TRIM, not UASP;

Suitable metal case for X825

X825-C6 see Housing X825-C2

X825-C7 see X825-C7

Sort by date Sort by score.

Varieties

Such indicators have existed since ancient times, when other substances began to be mixed with pure noble metals. Therefore, in order not to overpay for the product, they began to determine the ratio of the elements in it. This is how the first samples appeared:

• spool system;
• lot sample of silver and gold;
• English version;
• Spanish system;
• metric system;
• carat system.

Sample of a stamp on a gold item

The two most practical systems have survived to this day: metric and carat. They are easy to use during the manufacturing process, and then count and translate.

To begin with, you should understand that the sample is the quantitative content of pure precious metal in the product, which is expressed as a percentage. That is, if the jewelry contains 58.5% gold, then its fineness will be called 585. There is also an American (European) system for grading precious metals. It is expressed in carats, and pure metal has a value of 24 carats. Of course, you can learn how to convert a sample into carats and vice versa. This karat system is designated by the letters K or C, depending on the country.

How is silver sample determined?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUkmqZZEMFM

On silver jewelry, the hallmark is placed in the form of a mark. If you didn’t find it there, it could have been erased or it might never have been there at all. The easiest way to determine whether an item is silver or not is to go to a jewelry store or pawnshop. There they will appreciate the quality of silver products. If you want to find out the authenticity of a product at home, you can do this without any additional complex equipment. It is not possible to find out the silver sample number this way.

Silver jewelry

This metal has high thermal conductivity. If you dip a product into boiling water and immediately pull it out, it will be very hot - the same temperature as water. A high-quality product should not oxidize over time, darken or leave a residue; all of the above means that the product contains a lot of foreign impurities. You can also check the product with a magnet; high-grade silver is not attracted.

Where is the marking located?

As for where the hallmark is located on jewelry, the options may vary. To search, it is better to arm yourself with a magnifying glass, since the marks are too small to be distinguished by the human eye. They are applied in different ways:

• on rings they can be placed on the outside or inside of the tire;
• on earrings they are usually placed on a hook or a pin;
• on pendants they can be found on hanging rings;
• on bracelets they are on the links that connect the lock and the main part.

Markings are applied so that they do not affect the external part of the accessory. They can be embossed or sparkled. The former, due to the complexity of execution, cannot always be applied to particularly thin and elegant accessories.

Metals in alloy

Sample is a guarantee of quality and at the same time an indicator of the quantity of exactly how much precious metal is contained in the alloy. As a rule, jewelry and other products are not made from pure metal; impurities are added to it - other substances that change the characteristics of silver or gold.

If we talk about pure Au, then this element, despite all its positive qualities, is distinguished by its high weight, softness and tendency to scratches. For this reason, jewelry is made from ligature, diluting gold with other metals; The alloy may contain the following elements: silver, copper, nickel, platinum, etc.

The alloy takes on the characteristics not only of Au, but also of other elements. As a result, the alloy has the following properties: durable, easy to forge and melt, and oxidizes upon contact with water and air. The less gold contained in the alloy, the faster it oxidizes when in contact with water and air.

In products 375, the marking indicates that the alloy contains no more than 38% Au. Such products are not highly durable, they quickly darken upon contact with water and air, and do not tolerate interaction with reagents. Jewelry with a similar mark can have a classic yellow color, as well as a red tint if the alloy contains copper.

585 is the most popular gold standard in Russia. It is noteworthy that it appeared in the USSR. But previously there was a 583 marking, which was changed to 585 when it was considered that jewelry with the same mark would be poorly valued abroad.

The alloy marked 585 contains about 59% Au; such jewelry is characterized by good resistance to environmental factors and good strength. Jewelry can have a pleasant yellow or even white tint if platinum is present in the ligature.

750 marking indicates that the ligature contains from 72 to 78% gold. This test is only used on premium jewelry; they are not accessible and can have a green, yellow, white, or even red tint. The products are resistant to environmental factors, reagents and high temperatures. They oxidize slowly and retain color and shine for a long time.

958 standard is rarely used for making jewelry. The fact is that the cost of products with such markings is very high. Jewelry is produced to order; they differ not only in price, but also in their rather heavy weight. The properties of gold do not allow the creation of openwork weaves from the alloy; for this reason, jewelry with such a mark is not distinguished by its elegance. The alloy contains at least 96% Au.

There is also a 999 standard, which is used for pure gold, which contains practically no impurities. You won’t be able to find alloy products with such markings in a boutique or store. In the old days, wedding rings were made from pure gold. In most cases, the metal marked 999 is made into ingots.

What types of precious metals are there?

The 875 mark is placed on those products that are not of high quality. The ligature contains no more than 88% silver. Products with such a hallmark are used in medicine, and the mark is also placed on cutlery and jewelry that are not very expensive.

Jewelry made from 916 silver has good characteristics, but in order to increase the wear resistance of the products, they are often coated with enamel. The latter can also be gilding. High-end cutlery is also made from silver with this marking.

925 silver is an alloy of it and copper. The alloy contains about 7.5% copper, and the rest is silver. The ligature has good characteristics and is ideal for the production of jewelry. Metal cutlery with such a mark is rarely made.

Silver marked with three nines is considered pure and contains no impurities. This metal is practically not used in the jewelry industry; ingots are made from it.

Platinum is highly durable and is used not only for making expensive and luxurious jewelry.

Platinum marked 585 is white gold. The composition of the alloy, in addition to two noble metals, includes impurities. Ligature is used in the jewelry industry.

Jewelry marked 850 contains various impurities; platinum is diluted with tungsten, copper and iridium. In percentage terms, the amount of platinum does not exceed 85.

Jewelry that is marked 900 is not distinguished by its bright shine and chic appearance. Among platinum lovers, products of this standard are considered budget. Finding them in the store will not be difficult.

As for 950, it is loved by jewelers because it is ideal for creating luxury jewelry. Such jewelry is encrusted with diamonds or other stones; they are not affordable.

Bankers are only interested in platinum marked 999; bars are made from this metal. Money is invested in them.

The rest of the alloy consists of a master alloy. The concept of “ligature” hides the remaining metals that are in the precious thing. If we talk about gold products, then among them may be:

• Silver is the most harmless and frequently encountered noble metal. It gives gold a light tint, which is why products containing silver are called white gold.
• Nickel and zinc are rarely found as ligatures for jewelry, since both metals have allergenic properties and also change the appearance of the jewelry over time.
• Copper is an alloy that was especially often used in the Soviet Union. It gave the gold a reddish hue. Now, along with silver, copper takes part in the formation of rose gold.
• Brass is a cheap metal that is rarely used as an additive to jewelry.
• Palladium - improves the properties of gold, gives a noble shine, but a product with palladium is more expensive than ordinary gold.
• Platinum is the most expensive noble metal, which is added to alloys upon request. Their cost is the highest among all jewelry.

As you can understand from the above options for alloys, not all substances when added to pure gold make the product cheaper. Although it is the fact of low cost that forces jewelers to reduce the amount of precious metal. Most elements fall under this criterion, but platinum and palladium, on the contrary, make the item more expensive and unique.

But for silver the following is used as a ligature:

• copper is a universal additive for all products that does not change the properties of the decoration;
• platinum;
• germanium;
• silicon.

If you do not take platinum into account, all ligatures significantly reduce the cost of the product.

Hallmarks

To make jewelry, you can choose either one metal as a ligature, or several in different proportions. In this case, the sample of such a thing will not change, since it takes into account only the amount of pure precious metal. Not all metals are suitable for making jewelry: some will simply spoil the appearance, while others may cause allergies.

Therefore, the jeweler should consult with the client about the type and composition of the metal if the jewelry is made to order. If you purchase an item in a store, ask the seller to announce the composition of the ligature. This information cannot be found on the product tag; only the sample is indicated there. But on the full documents or certificates you can find out all the details.

A product made of precious metal must be stamped with a stamp - this is a state sign that guarantees the composition and authenticity of the thing. If you want to sell a product and go to a pawnshop or workshop, the first thing they will look at is the brand. In this case, a thorough examination of the verification can be avoided.

But if you ordered a product from a jeweler and used a non-standard metal content, then this item will undergo a lengthy check to determine the percentage of all elements in the product, and this procedure is not cheap. It is impossible to determine the metal sample at home. This is done using a special apparatus that determines spectral analysis.

According to GOST standards, the following samples are allowed for gold: 375, 500, 585, 750, 999. For silver, the following values ​​are accepted: 800, 830, 875, 925, 960, 999. Products below 585 samples for gold and 830 for silver are considered low-grade. But this does not mean at all that they are of poor quality. Low-grade products are widely used as interior decoration, as well as for the manufacture of personal accessories.

All items are marked with state stamps, which are located on the reverse side of the decoration. And also all information about the sample is located on the tag. If you order custom jewelry with a non-standard hallmark, it can be hallmarked, but only with a lower value. This will affect the value if you want to sell the jewelry in the future. A special sign is even placed on gold-plated or silver-plated items.

375 gold is contraindicated for those who are allergic to nickel

This is the biggest drawback of 375 gold alloy - the nickel in its composition can cause an allergic reaction.

Because the percentage of nickel in this gold alloy is higher (compared to 585 and higher alloys), products made from it are more likely to cause skin irritation and other allergy symptoms.

Jewelry made of 585 gold practically does not cause allergic reactions, and yet people prone to allergies are recommended to test the product first.

What does the test give?

For filigree products, high standards are used; For cutlery, for example, silver, high and medium precious metal contents are suitable.

Alloys are used not only in jewelry, but also for technical purposes. And the selection of ligatures opens up wide possibilities, for example:

• Changing the color of the metal is achieved by increasing the amount of other metals in the alloy, and the sample itself is reduced.
• Change in metal properties, such as ductility, strength, malleability. This is especially true for gold, since the substance in its pure form has a soft consistency. Gold deforms even when pressed with your fingers and can be easily scratched with a sharp object. And if a product made of pure gold is massive, it will change shape under the weight over time. Therefore, adding a ligature helps strengthen the decoration and its durability. Previously, products were made even from 333 standard, which was considered the most durable.
• Change in the appearance of the product due to exposure to external factors. The point is relevant for silver, since pure metal oxidizes and turns black when interacting with oxygen. Therefore, silver items are made from 925 and below. They are coated on top with a special layer of rhodium to avoid oxidation. For gold, this point is irrelevant, since any ligature cannot change the appearance of the item, and in general it depends on proper care of the item.

All other properties of metals in their pure form meet the requirements of malleability and ductility. Thanks to these characteristics, they are even used in industry, albeit in small quantities. In general, the sample is an indicator of the practicality of the product. Typically, people choose medium-grade jewelry because it requires less maintenance and all the shades of the spring look are difficult for a non-professional to distinguish. Or the selection process is based on the design of the product, and not on the sample.

Brands of products of the Bronnitsky Jeweler brand

Products made of precious metals in the assortment of the Bronnitsky Jeweler franchise network have three degrees of protection, which can be used to verify their authenticity and quality.

• Personal hallmark of “Bronnitsky Jeweler”, registered by the Assay Supervision Inspectorate of the State Assay Chamber of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.
• The brand mark is updated every year and using it you can not only confirm the brand of the product, but also determine the year of manufacture of this product.
• Stamp of the Assay Supervision Inspectorate of the State Assay Chamber under the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.

OTHER ARTICLES