If you are looking into purchasing silver jewelry you have to be the judge as to whether the jewelry is real and how much you can get it for. With silver jewelry, before buying, you must look at the markings on the piece of jewelry and make sure that it has a U.S. registered trademark of a reputable company or individual that will vouch that the piece is authentic. If the piece is sterling silver it must by law carry both of e types of markings.
Now when it comes to looking over it for its aesthetic reasons the piece should not be worn or chipping unless you are looking into antique or used jewelry.
If you want help judging jewelry you can shop for it through a jewelry store or, in some cases, jewelry departments in department stores. Especially in jewelry shops there will generally be an expert on jewelry and they can give you information on silver jewelry. If the piece that you are looking to purchase is expensive you can have a jeweler appraise the piece and see if it is worth what you are paying.
Many times though the piece is used or inexpensive and you must judge for yourself. The appearance of the piece is the most important thing so before purchasing a piece look over it thoroughly for nicks on the piece or discoloration from being worn. A great place to pick up silver jewelry can be garage sales and thrift stores.
Many times you can find good silver jewelry at thrift stores or at a garage sale. Obviously the silver jewelry for these places is not new but if the piece still looks good it can be had at a good price.
Another good place to get jewelry where you will have to be the judge is mass merchandise stores such as Target and Wal-Mart. The people working at the jewelry department probably are not experts at judging jewelry. But in these stores you can be sure that the jewelry is authentic and they usually will tell you the amount of silver in the piece. You can then judge the look and feel of it and if it is made well.