How To Test If Something Is Gold

How Can You Tell If Gold Is Real Without Markings

Dragging your gold over a ceramic plate is another quick and uncomplicated way to test your gold. Simply draw your gold across an unglazed ceramic plate, applying slight pressure. If you can see a gold mark on the ceramic once youve done this, then the gold is real. However if the mark is black then it is fake.

The Smell Test: Ideal For Small Gold Pieces

While this test is far from being the most reliable way to tell real gold from fake gold, it’s one of the easiest and quickest to do, and will not damage your jewelry.

You know that awful smell your hands get after you hold some coins in it for some time? We’re looking for that smell in this test.

This test can be done in three easy steps:

You see, one cheap metal used in the making of coinage is brass, a mixture of copper and zinc along with other materials. Brass can look like gold, especially if made into an alloy with other metal, to try to approximate gold’s weight and color. However, brass is much more reactive than gold when in contact with salty water and air, it produces the characteristic acidic smell most coins have, due to an electrolytic reaction.

As such, if your “gold” jewelry exhibits the same smell, it very likely is not real gold, or at least not pure gold. But even if your gold jewelry passes this test, it can still be fake gold.

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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Test : Size And Weight

Gold and silver are extraordinarily dense metals much denser than just about any base metal . That means just about all fakes that weigh correctly will be too large in diameter and/or thickness. Or they will be underweight in order to achieve the right diameter and thickness. Simply comparing the diameter and thickness of the coin in question with others known to be genuine could be enough to put you at ease.

If not, an inexpensive set of calipers and a jeweler’s scale are a good way of checking. Every bullion coin or round is produced with close tolerances in terms of diameter, thickness, and weight. You can find these dimensions on the Specifications tab on our coin and round product pages.

What Is Gold Attracted To

Ordinary magnetic fields dont attract gold, but a massive magnetic field can make this precious metal slightly magnetic. If your pure gold jewelry is magnetic, chances are that it contains a magnetic material, like iron or nickel. Magnetism is one of the simplest ways to tell if your jewelry or coin is pure gold.

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When In Doubt Get A Gold Jewelry Appraisal

If you dont feel like fussing with these methods of identifying gold at home, simply get it appraised. The most legitimate and reliable way to tell if gold is real is with a reputable jewelry appraisal. Of course, you should expect to pay a fee for the appraisal, but itll save you time and worry because youll have a solid answer on whether or not your gold is real or fake.

Kooljewelry 14k Yellow White Or Rose Gold 08mm Rope Chain Necklace

We recently discussed different chain types, and one of our favorites these days is the rope chain. This type of chain is slightly more intricate than a basic cable chain but can remain perfectly delicate if you get a smaller rope chain.

This is one such necklace, and we think it is the perfect gold chain that every woman should have in her jewelry collection.

This chain is perfect to wear either by itself for a more minimalist look, or to pair with your favorite pendant for a statement look. We love how versatile basic gold chains are, and this is one that you will be able to wear with a wide variety of outfits.

This chain is made of 14k gold, and you can get it in different lengths. Whether you want a choker length, a longer matinee length, or something in between, you can get that with this gorgeous rope chain!

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How To Test Gold At Home With Makeup

Wait, what? Yes, it sounds a bit odd because it is a bit odd and certainly not nearly as reliable as other methods. However, its worth a try if youre feeling experimental. To test gold at home with makeup, apply liquid foundation to your forehead. Next, rub the gold across it and see if a black streak appears. If so, the gold is likely real.

How Do You Determine The Karat Rating Of A Piece Of Gold

A jeweler can typically look at a piece of gold jewelry and find the marking that indicates its karat rating. Most gold jewelry manufacturers include a small indicator on the pieces they produce. A stamp on the piece indicates its karat, although depending on where it was made, the numbers may look different. For example, in Europe, the rating often indicates parts per thousand, so the stamp will show a three-digit number rather than a number within the 0 24 scale.

If your stamp includes the number 500, this would indicate that 500 parts per every 1,000 are real gold, while the other 500 parts are other metals or alloys, meaning its 50% gold. You can find the two-digit karat number by dividing by 1,000 and then multiplying that by 24. The 500-gold piece example would be rated at 12 karats. The highest three-digit rating youll see on a piece of gold is 999, which indicates 24 karats.

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Nitric Acid Gold Test

This method is only recommended for scrap jewelry, not gold jewelry you intend on wearing. Essentially, you make a tiny indent or scratch with a nail file. Then youll drop nitric acid into the scratch. If theres a visible reaction, the gold is fake. If nothing happens, the gold is most likely real. Take care when working with acid as this method is best left to a trained professional in a safe environment.

Test Against A Ceramic Tile

This test involves scratching your gold item however, you should be able to get results with minimum damage. Find or purchase an unglazed ceramic tile. It must be unglazed since tile glaze affects the results. Gently rub your item against the tile until you see fragments of gold flaking off. If it leaves a gold streak, theres a good chance your item is real gold. A black mark indicates the gold is fake.

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How To Test If Gold Is Real

A true symbol of high status, success, and prosperity, gold is a luxurious, highly desired precious metal. However, even if you own a stamped gold piece, its hallmark isnt a guarantee of its real gold content. This article reveals you the best testing methods on how to perform a proper gold test. Remember that you can always get a free top-notch appraisal from our expert NYC Bullion team.

How To Tell If Gold Is Real Spot Fake Gold With Our Simple Tests

The last few years gold has made a comeback as a preferred metal type for jewelry . Timeless and elegant, it makes perfect sense to us why everyone remembers how awesome gold jewelry is.

It is the perfect addition to every outfit and looks great in both minimalist pieces as well as more bold ones.

There is nothing worse than deciding to invest in some real gold jewelry only to find out that what you purchased is fake.

Its one thing if you know something is fake and you are okay with it to save money, but its an entirely different situation if what you think you are getting isnt actually what you are getting!

Gold is expensive, and while it is a worthy investment, you want to make sure what you are buying is, in fact real. We think that gold jewelry is a trend that is here to stay, so if there is anything to invest money in, gold would be it!

If you are in the process of updating your jewelry collection and want to be sure what you are buying is legit, thankfully there are some simple tests you can do to find out if what you have is real or fake!

Keep reading for our tests, some helpful definitions and distinctions as well as some gorgeous real gold options you can shop right now.

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Our Solid Gold Jewelry Shopping List

1. Sisgem Real Gold Bead Chain Thin Bracelet

We love this gold bracelet and think its the perfect accessory for every day. It is simple enough to wear during the day, yet beautiful enough to wear at night as well.

If you prefer having a few nice pieces instead of a larger collection of more costume jewelry, this is a great bracelet to invest in that you will be able to wear all the time.

If you want something with the best durability and you know you will wear it every day, we recommend going with this piece since its 18k gold.

We love that the beads on this chain make the bracelet more unique than just a basic chain. However, it remains beautifully minimalistic and is great for anyone that prefers more simple or delicate jewelry pieces.

All That Glitters Is Not Gold

Gold has always been special to the human race, because of its beautiful metallic yellow hue, its resistance to corrosion, its eternal luster and its strange malleability. In modern civilization, gold has many different applications in chemistry, electronics and industry.

Another reason gold is important is its rarity. Having an atomic number of 79, it’s one of the rarest elements that occur naturally in the universe. As such, it’s not surprising that, throughout the ages, many dishonest people have attempted, with varying success, to replicate gold’s qualities using more common elements, in order to trick prospective gold traders and gain an unfair economic advantage.

The jewelry trade is one in which these practices are most highly developed, since most people interested in buying jewelry are not well informed about gold’s physical and chemical qualities.

However, there are many easy ways to test if your expensive jewelry is made from actual gold, and this article will show you some practical tests that can be used by any layman.

Caution

Keep in mind that these tests cannot replace the opinion of a professional, and are not designed to measure the quality or content of gold in a certain piece of jewelry. It is also recommended that you test your gold item using several of the methods presented here, as fake gold items can sometimes replicate several aspects and qualities of real gold.

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Test : Thermal Conductivity Testing For Silver

Silver is one of the best conductors of thermal energy found in nature. That makes it easy to test silver bullion using nothing more than an ice cube. Place an ice cube on top of a coin, round, or bar, and you should see it begin melting almost instantly as heat is quickly transferred, as long as it is a pure silver bar, coin or round. Holding a coin or round between fingers or in the palm of your hand makes the results even more noticeable as the silver rapidly cools to your touch.

Free 100% Reliable Test Free Professional Appraisal

The best and easiest testing method when selling gold is to get analysis and evaluation by professional appraisers, like NYCBullion. Our team uses high-class digital gold testers, including the Sigma Metalytics Precious Metal Verifier and XRF Thermo Scientific Analyzer. Along with our top-notch expertise, we guarantee a free, fully transparent appraisal of your goods and the most generous quote on the market. You can get your free evaluation from NYCBullion either by sending your gold item or by visiting our store. For any questions, just call us at -354-5557, message us, or, come to our retail office at 32 West 47th Street, Booth 41, New York, NY 10036.

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Bring It To A Reputable Jeweler

While these home testing methods can be quick and easy ways to get an answer on whether your gold is real or not, there is still room for error. Some fake metals can pass these tests and look exactly like authentic gold. So, the best way and most reliable way of authenticating your gold is to take it to an experienced jeweler.

Reputable jewelers or jewelry stores will often have access to a wide array of testing methods that the average person does not. This combined with their many years of experience with creating and/or analyzing gold jewelry means that they can spot whats fake with ease.

The most experienced jewelers have likely handled many fake gold items and may even be able to tell you whether your piece is the real deal or not with just a look.

With plenty of fake gold pieces circulating the market, you cant always take your gold jewelry pieces at face value. By performing these at-home tests, you may just be able to confirm whether your item is real or not before you take it to a jeweler.

Now that we know how to test for fake jewelry, lets move on to designer bags! Heres some tips for spotting a fake Gucci bag and also how to know if your Louis Vuitton is fake!

Ready To Separate Out The Real Stuff From The Fake

We hope youve enjoyed our explanation of how to tell if gold is real! As you can see, there are lots of different approaches out there. Not all of them will give you a definitive answer. But by using different tests together, you can get a good idea of whether your gold is real.

Remember, if you want absolute certainty, you can always get your item tested by a jeweler. There will be a charge, but that may be worth it for your peace of mind.

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Using A Nitric Acid Test

A Question Of Tarnishing: Does Real Gold Tarnish

We all know that sterling silver tarnishes. Is the same true of real gold? If we are talking solid, 24k gold, the answer is no. Gold itself does not tarnish. However, keep in mind that the majority of gold jewelry is not solid gold because of durability issues.

If you want gold jewelry that is not going to tarnish, you need to stick with solid gold that is a higher karat quality. 18k gold and 14k gold is not likely to tarnish. If you go below that level, say 10k gold, you might notice some tarnishing.

If you have a piece of gold jewelry that has tarnished, keep in mind that that doesnt mean the gold is fake. Follow some of those above tests to see if it is real.

If youve got real gold that has tarnished, you can clean it using some mild soap and water. Dry the jewelry with a soft cloth- dont use anything abrasive! Similar to when you clean sterling silver, you have to be careful to not scratch the metal.

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