Expert Techniques To Ensure A Diamond Is Real
While various tests can be used to tell if a diamond is real, its advised to have a professional diamond expert assist you in determining if a diamond is genuine. A professional gemologist who has a Graduate Gemologist degree will be able to tell you definitively if a diamond is real or not.
Bringing your stone to a diamond professional will give you peace of mind, because several proven methods and tools are used to determine if a diamond is real.
What Kind Of Rapid Test Should I Buy
When shopping for a kit, look for a brand that has been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration. These include:
- Abbots BinaxNOW, which you can get from places like CVS for $23.99, Walgreens for $23.99, Walmart for $14, Sams Club for $14, or RiteAid . You can also order through the companys website for $23.99.
- Ellume, which you can get from stores like CVS for $38.99, Target for $31.99, or Walmart for $26.10. You can also order the kit online from and Everlywell.
- Quidel QuickVue, which you can buy from places like Walgreens for $23.99, CVS for $23.99, Walmart for $24.95 and other pharmacies. You can also grab a kit off .
Many of these kits tend to sell out quickly due to high demand, so it may be worth keeping some handy in your medicine cabinet or signing up to be notified when more kits are in stock.
If youre sick or dont want to be around others, many retailers offer curbside pickup. Lastly, experts recommend avoiding buying from unverified sellers, resellers or via social media. Thats because, of course, there are fraudulent test kits out there.
Smartphone Apps To Help Test Your Gold & Silver
Investors with an iPhone can also install the CoinTrust application and test a short list of the most popular silver and gold bullion coins by gently spinning them on a hard surface with the phones microphone positioned nearby.
Android users can install the Bullion Test app. Choose the coin from a drop down list, press the microphone button, then balance the coin on your fingertip and strike it with a fingernail or another coin. Results are instant and accurate.
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Test With A Gold Coin App
If you want to go the extra mile you can also verify the ping of your gold coin with an app. Their are several gold coin apps out there that let you do this for free. The one that we like the most is pingcoin for android. As of time of writing pingcoin currently supports 35 different gold and silver coins that you can test for free through the app. They support most of the major coins such as the krugerrand, maple leaf and the american eagle.
Verify your gold coin with a ping test app.
Gold Is One Of The Most Coveted Metals In The Indian Sub
The first step in testing gold is always the magnet test. If the item attracts to a magnet even just slightly it is not real gold, silver, palladium or platinum. These precious metals are non-ferrous meaning they are not magnetic. If your item is magnetic it means there is no reason to test it with acid.
Keep in mind that clasps and other devices on real gold jewelry may have tiny springs or other parts that are magnetic which are typically added for strength. Many modern necklaces use a spring loaded clasp in which the internal spring may be magnetic and easily detected by any strong magnet. Make sure you first test the main body of the suspected item by your magnet.
Our top quality gold testing solutions come in color coded plastic squeeze bottles.
If your item is non-magnetic then you should take the next step in testing the item by using gold testing acids. There are two ways to test with acid.
The first option to test your item is by placing the gold testing acid directly on the item. We suggest placing a plain white paper towel down on top of a rag or a glass table. Place the jewelry on top of the paper towel and drop a drop of acid directly on the suspected gold item. Many fakes will fizz with a green colored bubbling which may burn off plating and discoloring the object in some cases.
You can buy your own testing acid or testing kit on Ebay or Amazon. We are also happy to test your items for free.
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Can You Use A Magnet To Test Gold
Genuine gold will not attract a magnet. The magnetic test is the most convenient and portable test for genuine gold, since the magnet can be carried around in your pocket. Imitation gold and other alloys will attract the magnet. Coins can appear to be gold, when in fact the surface is simply gold in appearance.
Clean Gold At Home With A Polishing Cloth
Jewellery polishing cloths are available online or at jewellery stores. Buy a good brand that comes well-recommended.
- Use the polishing cloth to gently wipe the dirt and grime off your gold pieces.
- Rub it up and down.
- Do not use circular motions to wipe.
- Rinse in warm water and dry with a clean cloth.
- Do not use tissue to wipe or dry.
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Test Your Gold Coins Weight And Size
The following test is also a fairly simple way to test your gold at home. Bullion coins come with a specific set of weight and size. This will give you a reference point to test your gold coins authenticity. Since gold is one of the densest metals on the planet, its close to impossible to replicate the exact physical properties such as seize and weight. For example a fake Maple leaf would need to be thicker or wider to exactly match the weight of the real one. Similarly, a Fake Maple Leaf that has the exact dimenions of the real one will be noticeably lighter.
Below you can find the weight, size and thickness of the most traded bullion coins world-wide.
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What If I Want A Professional To Examine My Gold
All of these tests can be performed at home some with more caution than others. However, none of these methods are infallible. The best way to tell if gold is real or not is to have a reputable jewelry buyer take a look at it. This way, youre able to get an honest assessment of your jewelry or watch from a competent gold buyer.
Most jewelry stores charge a small fee to test if your gold is real, but Leo Hamels offers this service for free.
If you are in the San Diego region and would like your jewelry or watches tested to see if they are real gold, fill out this web form or contact us at 299-1500 and well evaluate it for free. If you enjoyed this article about testing your gold to see if its real, please share this on Facebook!
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How Can You Test Gold At Home
This test uses a simple pantry itemvinegar! Simply take a few drops of vinegar and drop it onto your gold item. If the drops alter the color of the metal, then its not real gold. If your item is real gold, the drops will not change the color of the item!
Even if you own a stamped gold piece, its hallmark isnt a guarantee of its real gold content. To find out whether your gold jewelry or bullion piece is fake or genuine, use the following gold testing methods. Home methods will help you easily test for real gold. The skin discoloration test is one of the easiest ways to test gold at home.
How do you test gold with baking soda? Wash the stone in the baking soda/water mixture then rinse it in water and pat it with a paper towel. A reaction shows that your sample has a lower purity, a slight reaction means that youve matched the Karat while no reaction indicates that you have a higher Karat gold.
Do jewelry stores test gold? Many jewelers use the nitric acid method to determine the authenticity of gold jewelry. Drop a small amount of nitric acid onto the piece and look for a reaction. If the jewelry is gold plated, you may have to make a tiny scratch in the metal to allow the acid to saturate the underlying metal.
Does baking soda damage gold? Because gold is a soft metal, it is easily scratched even with a light abrasive like baking soda.
Consider The Value Of The Item
If the piece of jewelry you want to test is a family heirloom, the bleach test may not be the best option. Many older pieces of jewelry were either gold plated, or the gold is an alloy of other base metals. A bleach test may well destroy plated or gold alloy jewelry.
The value of your heirloom may not be in its gold content but in the memories and its history. You risk losing those kinds of value if you destroy the item trying to determine if it is gold. Sometimes, the small amount of gold worth far less than the intrinsic values of the piece.
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Xrf Thermo Scientific Gold Test
Its the most expensive precious metal tester, yet the most accurate and nondestructive one. This gold analyzer uses X-ray fluorescence spectrometers to test the gold piece. The device sends X-rays through the sample and makes atoms get momentarily excited, moving them into a higher energy state. When the atoms return to their ground state, they release radiation which is detected and read by the machine. The machine returns the exact Karat or metal composition of the tested piece. It also comes with a unique AuDIT gold-plating detection technology which alerts you if the tested item is gold plated.
So How Can I Test Gold At Home
Now that you know golds properties, the following tests will help you determine if your gold is real, and what is its true purity. Below are the most common ways to test gold, and you should always do more than one to test your gold. These include simple procedures from how to test gold at home to using gold testing machines for getting the most accurate results. First, we will start with DIY gold testing.
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When The Magnet Test Does Not Work:
- Silver/gold mixed with stainless steel
- Some real gold is mixed with iron on occasion
First of all, the metals that might be mixed into a fake piece of gold or silver might be non-magnetic materials to begin with. For instance, a gold watch that is combined with traces of stainless steel will be undetectable in the magnet test, because stainless steel itself will not stick to the magnet.
Additionally, some products that are made of real gold will be mixed with iron as well, which is a magnetic material. After failing the magnet test, you might disregard the contents of real gold in something that is combined with iron.
In conclusion, the magnet test method can be a convenient way to rule out an obviously fake piece of jewelry, but it should not be your only way of determining the authenticity of one of these materials due to the misconceptions that can arise from the results.
Use Makeup To Test Gold At Home
Another way to test your gold at home is to use a liquid foundation. It may not be as reliable as other sources when it comes to testing your gold but it is good enough to know if the gold is real or fake. Pour some of the liquid foundations on your hand, blend it in your skin and let it dry. Take your gold and rub it on the area where you have applied the foundation. If that area turns black or rubbing the gold leaves a black mark behind then it is evident that the gold is pure. But if rubbing the gold does not affect the foundation applied area, we are sorry to tell you that the gold is not real.
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How To Clean White Gold Jewellery
White gold is coated with Rhodium which tends to wear off with the passing of time due to regular wear and tear. Luckily theres a simple way to clean it at home.
- Take a bowl and add soap water in it. Mix a little dishwashing liquid.
- Stir evenly and let the bubbles rise.
- Leave your white gold jewellery in the mixture for 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix baking soda in water and make a paste.
- Remove your jewellery, rinse it and clean it with the paste using a toothbrush.
- Gently rinse it under running tap water.
- Dry it with a clean, soft cloth.
Alternatively, you can use a jewellery cleaning solution too. But if you see that the Rhodium coating has worn off visibly, leaving behind a yellow colour, you should take it to the jewellers who would re-plate it professionally.
Necessary Measures To Take While Cleaning And Storing Gold Jewellery
- Before you start using the cleaning techniques we have listed above, cheque your jewellery pieces carefully for any loose prongs, stones, diamonds, or gems. If you find any, do not clean. Get it fixed at a jewellery store.
- Block your drain while holding any of your jewels under tap water, lest it falls and goes down the drain.
- Do not use abrasive cleaning methods like ammonia or baking soda on antique and delicate jewellery.
- In case if you find that youve tried several cleaning techniques and your gold jewellery is still not shiny or the tarnish persists, take it to a jewellery store for professional help.
- Keep it in a cool, dry place.
How Is The Purity Of Gold Determined
You have probably heard of the most widely used purity measure for gold, which is karat. When someone refers to a piece of gold jewelry, they indicate its karat rating to show how pure it is. The karat scale goes from zero to 24, so when a piece of gold has one karat, it includes one part real gold, and the other 23 parts are made of different types of metal or alloys. An 18-karat ring would include 18 parts of real gold and six parts of other types of metal.
You can further break down the scale into parts per thousand, or the percentage of real gold to alloy or other metal. Simply divide the number of karats of your gold by 24, and then multiply that number by 100. A 20-karat gold necklace would be 83.3% gold, which youd find by dividing 20 by 24 to get 0.833, and then multiplying that by 100 gives you the percentage. In other words, a 20-karat piece of jewelry has 833 parts of gold for every 1,000 parts.
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How Is 14k Gold Jewelry Marked
One straightforward way to check the purity of gold jewelry is to look at its karat marks, which are usually stamped in less visible places.
14-karat jewelry will most likely be marked with a symbol such as 14K or 14Kt.
Sometimes, you will see the purity of 14K jewelry represented with a parts-per-thousand mark.
The number used for 14 karats is 583 , so if you see it stamped on a gold jewelry piece, you can assume that it is 14 karats pure.
What Other Kinds Of Objects Can Magnets Find
Magnets are actually used for an activity called magnet fishing, where a large magnet on a rope is thrown into water to fish out magnetic objects.
About Magnetpartner
Welcome to Magnetpartner. Magnets are our expertise and we have specialised in online sale of very strong magnets and magnetic pockets of the highest quality on the market . We are passionate about our customer service! Due to increasing demand, we decided to start up Magnetpartner in the spring of 2015, and we are now selling our magnets throughout EU.
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How To Tell If Something Is Real Gold
One quickest way to check the authenticity of your gold is to inspect the piece of an official stamp or a hallmark. You can use a magnifying glass to help you. The marking will show you the purity of the gold in karats or fineness .
The number rating system used in Europe runs from 1 to 999 with 999 meaning pure gold. The U.S. uses a scale from 0 to 24K, where 24K is pure gold. Most coins and jewelry are not pure gold, though, because they have other metals mixed in.
How about 10k gold? By most international standards, pure gold is 24k, and any gold less than 10k is considered to be fake. But, you have to be careful as counterfeit pieces might have markings that make them look authentic. Thats why you shouldnt only depend on this method.
You can also check for a letter marking which indicates that the gold isnt pure. Some of the common letters you may see are GP, GF, and GEP. GP stands for gold plated, GF means gold-filled, and GEP means gold electroplate.
Plated gold often rubs away over time. So, if you notice any discolorations, the piece isnt considered real gold. The best places to check are around the edges of the jewelry and coins since these places often rub up against your skin and clothing.
You can also notice the discolorations on your skin after wearing the piece over time. If you see black or green marks, your gold may be less pure than you expect!
