Identifying Sterling Silver: Understanding 'STD SIL DIADEM' Marks

Question
Hello, I purchased a silver napkin ring at an estate sale.  The Hallmark inside reads "STD SIL DIADEM" with a little crown next to it.  Is this napkin ring sterling?  Thanks so much in advance.

Answer
Hello Rosalie and thank you for your inquiry. The mark you have refers to the diadem (crown) and is either sterling or silver plate. In order to confirm the metal content you should have it tested by a professional jeweler. They use acid to test the metal content and know how to do it without doing any damage to the item. A lot of countries used the crown mark and the type of crown (design) may give you more information. I am listing a hallmark site below that may help you in your comparisons. Just copy and paste the url into your browser address field and hit enter.

http://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html

Hope this helps !

Sally
jarrettsjade.com