Hello Karen,
Your ring has all the indications that it’s plated nickel. This is
what I tell my customers when questioning if an object is plated or
solid silver:
Normally, if an object is solid silver it will be indicated on the
piece. Examples aRe: Sterling, 925, 925/1000, 900, Coin, Standard,
9584 (English Britannia), 800 (Germany), 84 (Russia), etc.). Most
American-made objects are marked on the bottoms of holloware and on
the reverse on flatware. Foreign-made objects can be marked most
anywhere, and are sometimes accompanied by additional marks applied
in the country’s assay office which tests the quality of the precious
metal during its manufacture. Rarely will you find a piece made of
solid silver that isn’t stamped. If an object isn’t stamped, a
non-invasive identification method is judging by tarnish color.
Silverplate will exhibit a blue-purple hue, where solid silver will
exhibit grey-black. If you cannot determine if an object is solid
silver, consult a silversmith or jeweler who may use an acid test.
I hope this helps,
Jeff Herman