How to check the authenticity of gold at home?

June 3, 2021

Testing gold for authenticity is one of the mandatory and not always simple procedures that every owner of jewelry and other accessories made of precious metal should be able to carry out. Unfortunately, along with production technologies, methods of counterfeiting gold products are also being improved. Today, no one is immune from being deceived by an unscrupulous seller, so you need to know at least a few home inspection methods.

In this article, you will learn how to identify real gold, how it differs from a fictitious shiny alloy, and how to conduct a quick test without leaving home.

How to visually distinguish gold when purchasing in a store?

Before removing your bank card from your wallet, please note the following:

Each product made in Russia must be marked with a hallmark of 375 or 585 together with the logo of the Federal Assay Office - a woman’s profile in a kokoshnik. The print should be clear, without blurred edges. To view, use a magnifying glass - there is nothing “criminal” about consumer meticulousness.
If the decoration is composite with a complex openwork shape, then you will see solder at the joints of the elements. Upon closer inspection, there is a slight difference in shades - this is due to the use of a purer composition, this is a good sign.
Hold the product in your hands for a few minutes to warm it up, and then smell it. Real gold does not emit any odors, unlike copper alloy jewelry.

After examining the item itself, we proceed to inspect the accompanying documents - tags and catalog cards, where key information about the product is always indicated:

Article, full trade name, type: T108023275 Earrings with pearls;
Legal name of the manufacturer, head address, city of Yaroslavl, Sobinova street, building 47a
;
Mark of the technical control department: quality control department stamp and examination number;
Technical information about the product - sample, weight, type of insert;
Date of manufacture;
Barcode;
QR code with an encrypted link to the product position in the electronic catalog.

Only after making sure that all formal requirements are met should you make a purchase in a retail store and then begin a home inspection.

Character of the insert stone

Due to differences in price, as well as physical and chemical properties, different stones are inserted into different frames. For example, diamonds are almost never set in silver: it does not hold such a hard stone well.

Semi-precious stones are most often set in silver: agates, amethysts, chrysoprase, onyx, quartz, cubic zirconia, pearls. Silver of the highest standard can be inlaid with topazes and emeralds.
Diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, and natural pearls are often set in white gold.

How can you test gold at home?

We have collected several of the safest methods that, if all rules are followed, will not cause harm to either the product itself or the human body due to potential toxicity.

Iodine

Perhaps the most harmless and simple method, consisting of elementary rules:

Take a regular pharmaceutical iodine solution and dip a cotton swab in it.
Gently apply a small dab onto a flat surface.
If the spot begins to lighten or turn white, there is more copper or brass in the product than gold. Remains dark brown – 585 standard is real.

You can clean gold from iodine with an aqueous solution of hyposulfate (ampoules are sold in pharmacies), or a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ordinary laundry soap. The only caveat is that soaking can take up to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the contamination.

Ammonia

The method is similar to iodine, with the difference that you will have to use a cotton swab soaked in ammonia as an eraser - rub the jewelry with it for at least 15 seconds, and then look at the mark. If the snow-white cotton wool takes on a bluish-dark tint, then the purchased item is fake. When the color does not change and there are no unpleasant traces, copper is within normal limits.

lapis pencil

It can also be found in most pharmacies at a price that is ridiculous by drug standards. It’s even easier to use than with liquids - open it, draw a small line and carefully observe the result. There should be no traces left on the gold.

Vinegar

This method is not recommended for use at home, because the result requires vinegar essence heated over an open fire with a concentration of 80% or higher. Only then will the excess copper in the alloy color the liquid a pale blue hue. Regular table vinegar is useless - 6-9% is not enough to react with metal.

What is the purity of real white and yellow gold?

Everyone knows very well that a gold product must have a hallmark - a sign confirming its authenticity. Almost everyone knows what this test means. We explain to the uninformed - the number on the sample means the number of milligrams of pure gold contained in one gram of the alloy from which the product is made.

IMPORTANT: Pure gold, 999 purity, is not very suitable for creating jewelry. This gold is very soft and not resistant to external factors. Products made from it deform very quickly. Therefore, jewelers use alloys in which element 79 of the periodic table is diluted with some other, more durable metal, for example, silver, nickel, cobalt, palladium, zinc.

There are several gold assay systems. The most used and recognizable are carat and metric.

Samples of “real” gold.

IMPORTANT: Products and jewelry with a purity from 999 to 375 are considered gold. But it should be taken into account that the latter contains only 38% of pure aurum, they tend to fade in the sun, and their appearance is not quite the same.

Pure gold.

999 standard gold.
Interestingly, white gold jewelry comes in 750 and 585 samples. The product acquires its white color due to the presence of silver, nickel or palladium in the alloy, which color it, and rhodium plating.

Metals. included in the alloy of 18-carat white gold.

How to check white gold for authenticity?

The best and relatively inexpensive way to distinguish white gold from a skillfully made counterfeit made from a low-quality silver alloy is the potassium dichromate reagent, better known since Soviet times as chrompic. You can buy it at any specialized store, and one bottle is guaranteed to be enough for several dozen tests.

The test algorithm consists of five steps:

Prepare the glassware on which you will conduct the test.
Degrease the decoration using ethyl alcohol and a dry paper towel.
Apply 1-2 drops of Chrompic to the back of the product and wait a few seconds.
If a red spot appears, you have silver below 925 standard. On a gold surface, the color of the chemical practically does not change, or becomes greenish.

Important: Chrompik is an extremely toxic and carcinogenic reagent. When it evaporates, it emits a pungent “smoke” with a specific odor, which causes severe burns to the respiratory tract. When working with the composition, follow all safety rules - ventilated area, thick rubber gloves, breathing respirator.

The meaning and energy of noble metals

White gold is a relatively young alloy, it appeared in the twentieth century and immediately gained great popularity, all eyes were fixed on it. From an energetic point of view, it is considered more of a feminine metal, carrying spirituality and the search for the meaning of life. Actively promotes the establishment of harmony in personal relationships and provides an incentive for self-improvement.

As for silver (argentan), it has been known to mankind since ancient times, therefore its meaning is deeper - its main task is to kill the dark side in a person, bringing him closer to God and increasing his energy power. That is why it is customary to make crosses from this metal. In addition, it gives vitality to its owner and helps fight diseases.

It is from the perspective of semantic load that you should choose jewelry. But in order for them to really help their owner and protect him, you need to be sure that the products are made of the right metal.

Is gold magnetic?

For many decades, the famous “grandmother’s” method of testing gold was considered one of the most reliable and safe, because products made of precious metal are not magnetic at all. However, this technology is becoming less in demand every year, and here’s why:

Most counterfeits on the market began to be made from a special copper-lead alloy, which in its structure is similar to a diamagnetic material.
For the most accurate verification, an expensive neodymium magnet is required - miniature decorative jewelry “from the refrigerator” is absolutely unreliable.

The best modern tester is the once popular toy Neocub. The composition of its balls is the same neodymium alloy, which has the required attractive power.

Features of silver products

When choosing silver products, you must definitely consider it. The product must have two marks: from the manufacturer and according to the GOST standard. A sample is also required. Silver samples: 800, 830, 875, 925, 960, 999.

If there is no stamp on a product you like, this is not a reason to panic; most likely the standard is too low (below 800 - a stamp is not placed on the product) or the original jewelry was not made for sale.

Each product must have a manufacturer's tag, which indicates the name and legal address of the manufacturer, size, sample and name of the precious metal, as well as the cost of the product, weight in grams and price per 1 gram. The tag should be made of thick paper, wrapped in film.

Differences of silver:

in its pure form it wrinkles easily;
the surface is smooth and shiny;
characteristic grayish color;
the metal is highly susceptible to corrosion.

How do they check gold in pawn shops?

Specialists in the purchase of precious metals use their own methods of precise examination:

Touchstone and nitric acid - first, a control trace is made on a silicon block from a previously tested product. A line is drawn next to it with a second decoration, after which one or several drops of an acid composition are applied to both stripes. If the shade is the same, there are no questions about authenticity.
Hydrostatic method - it is based on calculating the specific gravity of a thing in air and distilled water. The first step is a control weighing on a jewelry scale, and then in a glass filled with liquid. The method is absolutely safe for any products except antique decorative watches.

Reputable institutions use a device called a spectrometer. In fact, this will already be a professional examination. Gold jewelry is placed in a chamber where, under the influence of radioactive waves, its spectrum is recorded, reflecting the percentage of a particular metal. The procedure is not cheap, but it is as fast and accurate as possible.

How much do gold and gilded jewelry cost?

Silver wedding rings or other gold-plated jewelry will not cost more than similar ones made of gold. And there is a rational explanation for this - gold is valued much higher than silver, and a high-quality gold alloy is not always used for the top layer of gold-plated jewelry.

The price of silver with gilding can be relatively high if noble metals of the highest standard are used, and the gilding is applied to the surface of the product in a thick layer. Cleanliness and thickness of the coating without inclusions are fundamental factors influencing pricing.

Buying Tips

A few recommendations before checking gold for authenticity:

Always, in addition to the store receipt, save tags, labels, etc. before starting experiments. This will guarantee the most conflict-free return possible - after all, you have a legal two weeks to “try it on.”
If the seller refuses to admit that it is obviously fake, do not be afraid to contact a laboratory for an accurate expert opinion. Only this can become a valid basis for an application to Rospotrebnadzor and transfer of documents to the court. Even taking into account the costs of the examination, not a single store will oppose the exact figures.

In turn, the Line of Love online store, as well as the network of our branded stores throughout Russia, guarantees 100% quality and authenticity of gold jewelry, confirmed by all quality certificates. The prices for the current catalog will pleasantly surprise you, and regular discounts, sales and the opportunity to create a unique product design in the author’s online designer will turn shopping into a pleasant and exciting experience.

How to avoid becoming a victim of scammers

To avoid purchasing a counterfeit, follow the rules:

Choose reliable stores. Avoid pawn shops, small shops, markets.
Demand quality certificates, do not believe the seller who convinces that in some countries the sample is not taken. This is not possible when crossing the border.
Sellers sell an alloy of titanium and gold. This combination does not contain gold.
Sample 583. It comes from Soviet times and is no longer produced. Therefore, you can trust such products and their quality.
Price. An expensive item is not always of high quality. The cost depends on the country of manufacture, weight, size of the product, and complexity of the jewelry work.
The most popular samples are 585, 750. You cannot trust samples on the Turkish market. They are often not related to reality.
A poorly printed sample print, chips, scratches and roughness are an indicator of low quality or a fake.

There are situations when the seller only gives the clasp for evaluation. They test it, but the earring may not be real. You can confidently tell a dubious seller that you will test the product with vinegar. If he does not agree, then the product is a fake.

Visual inspection

If you carefully examine the product, you can find signs of low-quality metal.

On many pieces of jewelry, such as a bracelet or chain, you may notice a slight discoloration at the junction of the links. This means that gold of a higher standard was used in the soldering process of the jewelry. It is soft, melts easily and is great for joining and securing small parts. If the difference in color is noticeable and the fold is painted in a bright yellowish tint, then the gold is real. And if the material of the jewelry is homogeneous, then it is costume jewelry that will discolor over time.

If you buy gold secondhand or from an unverified store, use as many methods as possible to ensure the authenticity of the product.

If the new jewelry has scratches and abrasions, this also indicates a poor quality item. The polish should be shiny. Large pores on gold indicate that it was made from a low-quality alloy or that the polishing was carried out incorrectly.

The outer coating and spraying are uniform and uniform, without cracks or scratches.

If there is a stone on the product, it must be firmly attached and not loosen.

Particular attention should be paid to the inside of the item - it should be as smooth to the touch as the outside.

The shade of the object also gives a visual idea of which alloy predominates: if red - then copper, green - silver and cadmium, gray color indicates the excess of steel metal. Platinum and silver together give a white color, and silver and copper give a yellow color.

The visual method is convenient if you do not have the appropriate equipment at hand.

How quickly does gold plating wear off?

When purchasing jewelry, keep in mind that over time, the layer of gold will peel off from a silver item—it’s only a matter of time. Gilding is erased due to external mechanical influence. Water, high humidity, household and chemical products will not remove the gold plating from the product, but it is easy to scratch the jewelry. If the accessory is stored carefully, its service life is 2-3 years. On earrings and pendants, gilding lasts a little longer. You can extend the life of your jewelry by completely removing the gilding. Visit a jewelry specialist and get an updated silver ring or earrings.