How to Test Gold with Iodine

Algorithm and rules for testing gold using iodine

In this article:

• Iodine Test Procedure
• How to clean a product from iodine stains?

In the modern world, gold still remains as valuable as it was many years ago. Therefore, it is not surprising that many fake gold products appear. To avoid getting into an unpleasant situation when they sell you a fake instead of precious metal, you need to be able to check the authenticity of gold. This can be done even at home using improvised means. For those who like to purchase gold items, it would be useful to learn how to test gold with iodine.

Iodine Test Procedure

You probably have this drug at home. In any case, you can buy it at the pharmacy; iodine is freely available. In medicine, it acts as an antiseptic, but in jewelry, iodine plays the role of an indicator of authenticity. Only gold can be tested with iodine; this procedure is useless with other metals.

Iodine

If you are interested in authentication in this way, then buy the drug and get ready to carry out several simple manipulations, during which you will find out whether it is gold or not:

• Take a gold item. It doesn’t matter how long ago it was made or how long ago it was cleaned. The 585 and 583 samples are most often checked for authenticity, since the appearance of such jewelry may have a reddish tint and people doubt the authenticity of the jewelry. The tint appears due to the large amount of ligature in the alloy.
• Next, you need to lightly sand the product on its inside. It is enough to slightly remove the top layer to obtain a reaction with iodine in the future. This can be done using any abrasive; it is best to rub the product with sandpaper.
• Using a cotton swab, drop iodine onto the gold or simply apply the substance to the jewelry in the wiped area. The reaction does not depend on the size of this place, so try to make it as small and inconspicuous as possible. If you apply more iodine to the item, the reaction will not become more pronounced, and you will then have to wash the iodine off the jewelry.
• Monitor the product's reaction. If a dark spot appears on it, this means that the product is genuine, made of precious metal, and the gold test was successful. But if there is no reaction, it means you have copper, bronze or brass in your hands. The origin of the chemical reaction is explained by the fact that gold reacts with halogens, which is iodine.

Apply a drop of iodine to a gold ring

In addition to iodine, you can check the authenticity of gold at home using the following substances:

• vinegar;
• lapis pencil;
• magnet.

Many people know how to determine gold with these substances, so if iodine is missing, it is easy to find an alternative in the form of other testing methods.

How to clean a product from iodine stains?

Some more questions arise later, after checking for authenticity. Of particular interest is the question of how to purify gold from iodine? The fact is that iodine leaves traces on the product in the form of dark spots. The size of the spot depends on the amount of iodine applied during testing. But getting rid of them is not difficult, but you will definitely be sure that you are holding real gold in your hands and not other alloys.

An iodine stain will disappear on its own over time, especially if it is small, but sometimes it needs to be erased faster. To do this, there are several methods that allow you to remove stains on gold and clean the product as a whole:

• Weak solutions with powder or soap will not help, since the stain is quite resistant to them.
• Use hyposulfite as a cleaner. This substance, which is used when developing photographs using the old method, is also called a fixer. Method for preparing the solution: 1 tablespoon of fixative per glass of warm water. The product should be kept in the solution for half an hour, after which it should be rinsed under water and dried.
• A solution with ammonia can also get rid of the problem. But keep in mind that the method may not always work, and besides, the smell of ammonia will disappear within three days. Therefore, this technique will not help solve the question of how to purify gold from iodine in a short time.
• The oldest cleaning method is to mix 80 grams of lime with 70 grams of soda and 20 grams of salt. This powder is diluted in 1 liter of warm water; the decoration should be kept in the solution for about an hour and a half.

Testing gold with iodine is only suitable if the product is made of a solid metal alloy. If the jewelry is gilded, then the test will also be positive if you do not completely erase the gilding layer. Or you may simply damage the product, after which you will have to order a repeat gilding procedure from the jeweler. Therefore, before checking, look at the product tag or do not take risks, but simply take the ring to the master.

It is best to carry out the cleaning procedure at a jeweler. You can also carry out the verification procedure there. Of course, home methods are cheaper, but they are more labor-intensive and unreliable.

If you want to confirm the authenticity of gold in a product, you should contact a jewelry workshop and ask to determine the type of metal and even the fineness of the alloy. This can be resolved in a few minutes. Previously, cuts and cuts were made on the wrong side of the product.

But now the devices determine all indicators without interfering with the integrity of the product. This is done by determining the density of the metal and chemical reactions.

After completing the procedure, you will receive a document confirming the presence or absence of gold in the product.

Source: https://HochuZoloto.com/prochee/kak-yodom-proverit-zoloto.html

How to determine the authenticity of gold? How to correctly identify gold at home? How to test gold with iodine?

Gold is an eternal metal that does not corrode and is easy to process. In mythology, it is considered the concentration of fire and earth. At all times and among many peoples, gold has been the personification of magic and religious worship. The gold rush cost many people their lives because this precious metal has always been the embodiment of wealth and power.

Gold jewelry is considered the best gift and reliable investment. Its price will never fall, but will only rise, because the gold metal is not mined in such large quantities to make it available to everyone.

No person will refuse a gift in the form of a gold ring or chain. Such jewelry can be given for any significant date: birthday, anniversary, Valentine's Day, New Year, March 8, or simply to please a loved one for no reason. It is with gold rings that lovers seal their relationship at the official registration of marriage.

How to determine the authenticity of gold jewelry

But whether it’s a gift in the form of gold jewelry or just something purchased from a precious metal in a jewelry store, every person wonders: “has he become a victim of scammers and owns a fake?” How can you determine the authenticity of gold without resorting to a jeweler’s appraisal?

First, you need to make sure that the jewelry contains a sample, the presence of which confirms the value of this precious product. Gold in its pure form is not wear-resistant and does not hold its shape well. It is quite soft and ductile, and in order to give it the necessary reliable characteristics, various impurities were added to this metal, which form a high-quality composition suitable for creating a jewelry masterpiece.

This piece of jewelry is marked with a hallmark so that the buyer knows how much gold metal is present in this product. Such standards were established by special government bodies that control the standards of manufactured products on the gold market.

Understanding such a sign is not difficult: three numbers indicate the percentage of the gold metal relative to impurities. For example, 585 standard stands for 58.5% gold contained in jewelry.

At the moment, the following gold samples exist: 375, 500, 583, 585, 750, 900. 916, 999. This precious metal is used not only to create jewelry, but has other extensive uses: for medical purposes, in dentistry for making crowns, in industry, aviation and many other sectors.

Application of physical and chemical methods

How to correctly identify gold at home? To do this, you need to stock up on simple reagents and try chemical experiments at home. These experiments are available at home:

• How to test gold with iodine? To do this, you need to rub the product being tested with a dry cloth, and then drop a few drops of iodine on it. A high quality piece of jewelry will never darken from this. If within a few minutes after treating the product with iodine it darkens, then this can only mean one thing - the gold jewelry is not real. Also, the stamp stamped on it may not correspond to reality and its quality is much worse and does not agree with the price that the jewelry store claims.
• Using vinegar. You need to pour a small amount of regular balsamic vinegar into a small container. After this, you need to lower the experimental object there for a few minutes and take it out to check for a change in golden color to dark. If such a transformation has occurred, this indicates a fake.
• Applications of gold chloride. This method is not accessible to a wide range of people, but if it is still possible to test the metal with this reagent, then such a simple procedure can be carried out. Having smeared the jewelry being tested with a similar chemical substance, if a dark shade appears on it, which is accompanied by a characteristic hissing sound, this may indicate the purchase of a low-quality precious item.
• Use a lapis pencil, which can be purchased at a pharmacy. This remedy is used to stop bleeding and contains silver nitrate. We moisten the examined ring or chain in water and pass this type of medical device over this object. If the product is of poor quality, it will begin to oxidize.
• Using a magnet. If the fake jewelry has an iron base coated with gold, then a regular magnet will help you find out. He will always attract iron to himself.
• Application of physical laws that can be used on a large gold product. This law is based on placing a given object in water and calculating its density through mathematical calculations due to the amount of water displaced.
• The last method consists of dragging the jewelry across the surface of the ceramic tile. A high-quality precious metal will leave a golden mark, a low-quality precious metal will leave a black mark.

Of course, if one of the experiments carried out can confirm the worst suspicions, an expert opinion is still needed.

Old folk means of verification

You can try a few more simple manipulations to check such metal. For example, to determine the quality of a ring, you can test it using your own hearing. To do this, you need to drop such a decoration onto a flat floor surface from a small height. A person who has fine hearing will hear a melodic ringing when the product comes into contact with the floor slabs.

You can also use the old proven method for testing the strength of gold metal. To do this, you don’t need to damage your teeth and bite it, but simply scratch the jewelry with a sharp object. If there is a base made of cheap material, which is under the coating, you can see the scratches in the depths - a dark color.

Using detection by the sun's rays, the test object will shine equally both in the open sun and in the shade. For another test, you will need black bread, which needs to be softened with water. Then apply it to the product being tested. If it has oxidized due to contact with wet bread, then this decoration is not of good quality.

All of these tools will help answer the question: how to determine whether it is gold or not? But carrying out all these manipulations, you cannot be 100% sure of their correct result. An expert assessment at the end will dispel all doubts.

How to check the authenticity of white gold?

White gold is a compound in one composition: gold and argentine, with the addition of one of the elements palladium, platinum or nickel. This type of precious metal has a steely and slightly golden hue that does not fade over a long period of time. Visually, white gold resembles silver, but in terms of jewelry characteristics, it is a fairly durable and expensive metal.

You can check the quality of this jewelry in several ways at home:

• High resistance to deformation. If you squeeze strongly, the silver jewelry will immediately lose its shape, as it is a more elastic metal. And white gold is very difficult to bend or deform.
• The presence of a mark, which is placed only on gold products.
• For the next experiment, you can use a chlorine-containing product (for example, Whiteness). If such liquid gets on high quality jewelry, its appearance will not change.
• When applying iodine, there will also be no change in shade on a quality product.
• Balsamic vinegar can be used to identify real white gold. When this reagent gets on the surface of an experimental object, changes will immediately occur in the shade of the metal.

The most important thing is that in order not to purchase a fake, you need to buy it in reliable specialized stores that have the appropriate certificates and good reviews from other buyers.

Source: https://hozhelp.ru/poleznye-sovety/kak-opredelit-zoloto-na-podlinnost-kak-pravilno-opredelit-zoloto-v-domashnikh-usloviyakh-kak-proverit-zoloto-jjodom.html

How to test gold products with iodine

Gold remains as valuable today as it was centuries ago. This is taken advantage of by scammers who counterfeit it. To avoid falling for cunning tricks and buying a fake instead of a precious metal, gold is checked. At the same time, you need to know how to use iodine or other available materials in order to, if necessary, distinguish a fake from the original. This check can be done even at home.

Instructions

Probably everyone has such a drug as iodine at home. If not, then it can easily be purchased at a pharmacy, since it does not require a doctor's prescription and is cheap. In medicine, iodine is considered an antiseptic. However, it is also used for other purposes.

For example, a widely known method for testing gold is iodine, where it is used as an indicator to determine the authenticity of the metal. However, the drug will only help in recognizing gold. For other metal products it will not show the true result.

So, having decided to try this method, you need to do the following.

1. They take gold jewelry. Usually, doubts arise in samples 583 and 585, since their tint may be slightly reddish, which can raise doubts. But it may also be associated with the presence of an alloy in the metal composition.
2. Then the product is lightly sanded on the inside. This is necessary for the reaction with iodine to occur. Most often, sandpaper is used for this, although you can use another abrasive.
3. After soaking a cotton swab in iodine, apply it to the gold item in the place of wear. It doesn’t matter whether a small or large amount of iodine will participate in the reaction. Therefore, you need to try to apply only a small, unnoticeable spot. The reaction will not increase depending on the size of the abrasion area, but then you will have to spend more effort to wash it, and a trace of abrasion may remain.
4. It remains to monitor the reaction. If a dark color stain appears, then the jewelry is genuine. It is precisely made of precious metal. But if the color remains the same, then the product is not gold, but bronze, copper or brass. The chemical reaction occurs because gold is able to react with halogens. And iodine is exactly that.

other methods

To check, you can use not only iodine, but also other substances, such as lapis pencil, vinegar, magnet. Your own hearing will also help. Many people know these methods. Therefore, if there is no iodine in the house, then it is quite possible to use them as an alternative method.

The lapis pencil contains silver nitrate, which is the active ingredient. The product is used in medicine for the purpose of cauterization. With its help, a test is done, the opposite of iodine. Gold is the only metal that will not react with a pencil. All others will change their color. However, if the product is of low quality, then the result is in question.

All you need to do is leave the decoration in the vinegar for only half a minute, during which you observe the reaction. There will be no reaction to gold. But other metals will begin to oxidize. But, if the sample turns out to be less than 750, then it is also difficult to judge the reliability, as in the previous case.

Attraction with a magnet will reveal the presence of a high iron content in the jewelry. Gold will not react to a magnet. However, at the same time, metals such as aluminum and copper are also not magnetic. Therefore, the experiment will only show the presence or absence of iron.

If a person has a good ear for music, he will be able to distinguish gold, since it is a sonorous metal. To do this, it should be thrown onto a smooth surface. Vibration should be heard, like crystal. Other metals, when hitting the surface, emit a heavy sound that is somewhat harsh on the ear. But, of course, this method cannot be called simple for the average person.

Method of purification from iodine

Having completed the iodine test, another question may then arise on how to get rid of a stain on a gold item. After all, iodine, as we found out, leaves dark spots. However, you should not worry about this, since in this case special work will not be required. But you can be sure that the jewelry is actually gold.

Over time, the stain will disappear on its own. But if it is important to erase it urgently, then you can use one of the following cleaning methods after checking the gold. Solutions using soap or powder will be useless in this case, since the substance is resistant to them. The following will help.

1. Hyposulfite can act as a cleaner. It is used to develop photos in the old way. Prepare the liquid as follows: take one tbsp. a spoonful of fixative and dilute it in a glass of water at room temperature. The gold item is kept in this solution for thirty minutes, and then washed under waste water and dried.
2. Ammonia will also help. But before using it, it is worth considering that it will not always have the desired effect. In addition, the smell will take a long time to dissipate, within 3 days.
3. You can also use the oldest method, which was known to our grandparents. To do this, take 70 g of soda, 80 g of lime and 20 g of salt. All components are mixed and dissolved in one liter of water, where the gold product is then placed for an hour and a half.

It is also worth remembering that testing gold for authenticity using iodine is only suitable when it is made of solid metal. If the product is gold-plated, the method will also indicate authenticity only if the corresponding layer is not erased. In addition, this can ruin the decoration. Therefore, it is better not to risk it and take it to the master.

Cleaning can be done at a jeweler as well as inspection. Naturally, they do all this at home for free. However, the result may be unreliable, and during the procedures there is a risk of damage to the jewelry. On the other hand, by contacting a jeweler, you can not only confirm the authenticity of the product, but also find out the sample of the existing alloy.

A specialist will determine a reliable result in just a few minutes. Once upon a time, this required making cuts or cuts on the inside. However, today the inspection is carried out without compromising the integrity of the jewelry. The method consists in determining the density of gold and chemical. reactions.

After checking, a specialist receives a document containing information about whether the jewelry contains gold or not.

How to check authenticity in a store

People do not always have the opportunity to use home testing methods or take it to a jeweler. For example, you need to know exactly how to identify gold when purchasing it in a store.

If a product is purchased on the territory of Russia, then it must have a sample and the letter of the person who puts the stamp on it. If this is not the case, then there is no need to talk about legal gold. Most likely it's costume jewelry. The quality of gold jewelry varies from country to country.

Therefore, when it is bought in other countries, in addition to the sample, you must pay attention to other characteristics.

1. The polish should be shiny.
2. The coating and spraying are done evenly, and the color is the same.
3. If the product contains a stone, it is firmly inserted.
4. All units have their own tag made of white thick paper, in which there is a hole with a stretched thread. Here you can find information about the product: its weight, sample, manufacturer, name, legal address.

The presence of impurities can be determined visually by the color of the product. White color is formed with the help of silver and platinum, yellow - with silver and copper, red indicates that copper predominates in the alloy, green is obtained by combining silver, copper and cadmium, and a gray tint is acquired with the presence of steel. It is not recommended to purchase such a product over the Internet, as in this case there is a high risk of counterfeiting.

Conclusion

Thus, when deciding to use reagents to test gold, you need to understand the reliability of a particular means, as well as the consequences. So, using iodine, you can be sure of the result, but at the same time, you should be very careful not to spoil the jewelry.

Source: https://PotrebPrav.ru/info/kak-osushhestvlyaetsya-proverka-izdeliya-iz-zolota-jodom

Gold - we check for authenticity with water

Gold is one of the most coveted precious metals on Earth. It is used not only in the production of jewelry, but also in various fields of science, in the production of technology, and various equipment.

Gold in its pure form is rarely used, as it is a soft, ductile material. It is usually mixed with other metals to form alloys. In jewelry, quality is assessed by the gold content of the product. For this purpose, a sample in the form of a stamp is used.

Fineness 999 means almost pure gold, without impurities.

For the most part, gold jewelry contains hallmarks of 585 and 583. 585 standard means that the product contains 58.5% gold and 41.5% admixture of other metals. The deception in the production of gold jewelry is to indicate, for example, 585 standard, but in fact there will be much less gold. There are also complete fakes, when the product does not contain a single percentage of gold. How can you determine whether you have gold in front of you or not?

How to test gold at home

There are several methods:

1. With the help of iodine.
   You will need iodine, a cotton swab and something sharp (knife, needle file, file, etc.). Lightly, in an inconspicuous place, preferably from the inside, scrape a little of the product being tested. If the product is clean, you can do without scraping the top layer. Next, dip a cotton swab in iodine and anoint the chip. Now observe the behavior of the iodine drop. If the drop immediately begins to turn white and evaporate, it’s a fake. On real gold, a drop of iodine remains dark in color and does not evaporate for a long time. Next, wipe off any remaining iodine, if any remains. If the place where the iodine was turned black, then this is real gold. On a fake decoration, the place turns white. The blackened area needs to be cleaned as soon as possible. At home, gold can be cleaned with toothpaste. In more detail and visually how to carry out this test, see the video below:
2. Check with ammonia. The principle of the method is the same as using iodine. The only thing is that you don’t need to drip ammonia, but rub it over the product being tested for 15 seconds. No reactions will occur with real gold. Other metals will reveal themselves by turning black, and the cotton swab will turn blue.

   On the left - a stick soaked in ammonia, turned blue from interaction with fake gold. On the right - the cotton wool is clean, after contact with real gold.

3. Lapis pencil (antiseptic containing silver nitrate, sold in pharmacies). The pencil reacts chemically with almost all metals except gold. Anoint the jewelry. Gold will not change color, fakes will darken. The method is also not very relevant if you have low-grade gold in front of you.

   On the left - the fake has turned black. On the right is real gold.

The above methods for determining gold at home are only suitable for distinguishing crude fakes. The best method is using iodine and ammonia. To determine impurities, laboratory tests are suitable or you can contact a pawnshop.

How to check gold in a pawnshop

Gold buyers test gold jewelry with acids. First, gold is passed over a touchstone (silicon slate), and depending on the sample on the product, a certain acid is used. A little bit of metal remains on the stone, and a drop of acid is dropped onto it. The fake will evaporate under the influence of acid, and traces of real gold will remain in place.

The first thing they do in a pawnshop is examine the sample. It must be clear in all corners and bear the manufacturer's mark. Then the specialist places the jewelry on the magnet. This is such a quick method to eliminate gross fakes. Gold is not magnetic, but if another metal is plated with gold, it will be attracted to the magnet. Well, then the specialist uses chemistry to determine the quality of the product.

How to find out the hallmark of a gold product at home: Archimedes' method

To carry out the test, we will need electronic scales, a calculator, and water. The method is based on Archimedes' law, according to which we determine the density of the product and compare it with the standard. To calculate, we need to know the weight of the product and the weight of the displaced liquid. Then perform a mathematical operation and compare it with the table of metal densities. More similar, it is described in the video - how to determine real gold and its purity by water:

Precious metal density table:

metal	Silver	Gold 375, 500	Gold 583, 585	Gold 750	Gold 999
density	9 — 10	11 — 12	12 — 14	14 — 17	19,3

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Source: https://prokachestvo.ru/kak-proverit-zoloto.html

How to test gold for authenticity at home

Anyone who has gold jewelry would like to check the gold at home for authenticity.

The demand for gold jewelry is very high, and scammers counterfeit jewelry made of precious metal in various ways, adding the desired properties to them, or they sell goods of a lower standard as of a higher standard.

At the same time, there is no way to tell from the outside; the fake also looks good.

How to test gold at home?

Alloys of gold products

Gold, due to its chemical properties, is a precious and soft metal, and if you do not add other components to it, it will not hold its shape.

In certain proportions they can add:

• platinum,
• silver,
• bronze,
• brass,
• steel.

A sample is placed on gold jewelry, which shows the proportion of gold in the product in relation to other metals. The standard is considered to be 999 gold purity, that is, pure gold.

In the finished jewelry, the maximum proportion of gold is 75 percent, and 25 percent is admixtures of other metals, that is, 750 standard.

For mass sale of gold jewelry, 585 and 375 samples are made. Gold products with 375 samples are made with a lower gold content, usually watches, antiques, and the price of products from such an alloy is lower than those made from 585 gold.

Where to check authenticity?

To check the authenticity of gold, you need to contact an Assay Office for this service, or an expert in a jewelry workshop to get a quality solution.

Most often, gold jewelry is counterfeited by adding metal to the alloy:

• tungsten,
• aluminum,
• copper,
• brass,

Because they are similar in density to gold. They counterfeit it like this: a product is made from tungsten, called a blank, and the top is coated with gold. To understand that it is a fake, you need to drill a hole in the product, after which you will see what is inside.

Authentication at home

Let's look at what methods there are to check the authenticity of gold jewelry at home.

How to test gold with iodine and vinegar

How to perform a check in one minute?

To test gold jewelry at home using iodine, you need to apply one drop of iodine to the inside of the item and leave it for 1 minute.

Using a cotton pad, gently wipe off the iodine. We analyze the color of the metal; if it has not changed, then most likely it is real gold, since it does not react with iodine.

However, if iodine is kept on a gold item for more than two minutes, a reaction may occur; then traces of iodine can be removed using a soap solution.

Everyone also has vinegar at home; it can also help us in checking the authenticity of gold. It is important that it is better not to check jewelry with stones using vinegar, as the acid can ruin them. To do this, you need to put the decoration in vinegar for a short time and watch the reaction.

If the metal has become blacker, then it is most likely not pure gold, but a counterfeit made from base or semi-precious metals.

Ordinary water can also help us check jewelry. Take a glass of water and place gold jewelry in it. If a gold item immediately goes to the bottom of the glass, this means that most of the composition is gold. But this is not a 100% guarantee.

How to check the authenticity of gold at home using a magnet

When using this method, a magnet is used.

As we know, precious metals are not magnetic, so real gold jewelry should not react to a magnet.

But you also need to take into account that metals such as aluminum and copper are also not magnetic and can also be used to counterfeit gold jewelry.

If one of these metals is involved in the deception, then you need to look at the weight of the jewelry, since copper is lighter in weight than gold, and the product as a whole will be lighter.

How to check the quality of gold using a lapis pencil

Easy to use method. The main function of a lapis pencil is to stop bleeding from scratches, warts, and cracks. You can buy it at the pharmacy.

With this pencil you need to draw a stripe on a damp piece of jewelry. Then you erase the strip, and see if there is a trace left, then most likely it is not real gold, but a fake.

How to check the authenticity of gold jewelry using gold

Surely you have a piece of gold jewelry whose authenticity you have no doubt about.

Golden touch

Take real gold jewelry and use it to draw a line on something hard. Do the same steps with the gold jewelry that you doubt. Compare the result, if it is different, then perhaps the gold is fake.

Magnifier

Your gold jewelry can also be checked using a magnifying glass, namely the hallmark. The sample should be clear, with smooth edges.

Reagents

Now stores sell special reagents and substances with acid. There is a separate reagent for testing different metals.

The acid will not react with the precious metal and will not leave any traces on it.

If it's fake, it will be covered in stains.

You also need to keep in mind that all actions must be performed with protective gloves and a mask for safety.

You can test gold jewelry at home using these methods. But if it is a high-quality fake, then professional jewelers can help you find out.

Source: https://kakchistim.ru/uhod-za-veshchami/dragocennosti/kak-proverit-zoloto.html

How to determine the authenticity of gold using iodine, vinegar, ammonia, water

With the advent of new technologies and cheaper materials, it has become much easier and cheaper to produce fake gold jewelry.

Naturally, it is better to buy gold jewelry new in a store. When purchasing, ask for a quality certificate and trade permit. Running into a fake is reduced to zero.

What to do if you find, give, or offer a beautiful ring or earrings from someone else? There are cases when gold is used to pay for services and is offered in exchange for something. And at the same time it is less valuable than in the store.

In these cases, it will not be superfluous to have instructions on how to check whether it is gold or not at home, using accessible means.

Visual inspection

Visual inspection boils down to checking the markings of the gold product. You need to find a sample and a distinctive sign of the manufacturer. The original product has all the details, the numbers are easy to read, and the stamping depth is the same. The size is barely readable.

At the top is a fake, at the bottom is a real gold ring.

Large numbers, the absence of a manufacturer's mark, and different depths of numbers should alert you. It is better to refuse such jewelry and not make a purchase.

How to test gold with iodine

Attention! Do not test on visible areas of the jewelry.

For the test you need a bottle of iodine and a cotton swab. Apply a little iodine to a small area, watch the reaction of the drop:

• On a real gold item, iodine will not change its original color. The droplet size will remain virtually unchanged.
• Other metals that are passed off as gold will react with iodine. The drop will begin to discolor and decrease in size until it dries completely.

Just applied a drop of iodine. On the fake, the drop became lighter, but the original (dark) shade of iodine remained on the gold.

After waiting about a minute, remove any remaining iodine.

• A real gold piece should have a dark stain.
• On the fake there is a white spot, even a sort of whitening of the area where iodine was applied.

A drop of iodine was wiped away. There was a light spot on the fake, a dark spot on the gold.

To remove iodine stains, use a 30 percent sodium hyposulfite solution. Polish with toothpaste.

Lapis pencil test

Silver nitrate, a lapis pencil, does not show any reaction on real gold.

To check, you need to moisten the tip of a clumsy pencil and run it over the sample being tested.

• Jewelry made from genuine gold will not change color where it comes into contact with a pencil.
• The fake will be revealed by darkening.

A blackened area on a fake from exposure to a lapis pencil (Stilus Lapidis).

Test with ammonia and vinegar

The method is similar to those carried out above - we check the reaction of the decoration to ammonia and vinegar.

For the test you need a cotton swab. We wet the stick in ammonia and rub it over the decoration being tested.

• No reaction is observed on the gold product; the color of the stick remains white.
• Ammonia will oxidize other metals. The fake will show itself by changing the color of the cotton swab. The stick takes on a distinct blue tint. Dark spots may appear on the fake.

Reaction of gold and counterfeit to ammonia.

To test with vinegar, you need to immerse the jewelry being tested in vinegar.

Stop! Don't waste time and vinegar on this test.

The method is not suitable for testing at home. The concentration of vinegar sold in stores is negligible to react with metals.

Water test, Archimedes method

For the test you need: high-precision scales, thread, measuring cup, water (distilled will give a more accurate result), a table of the density of materials.

Density of precious metals:

Density/p	9 — 10	11 — 12	12 — 14	14 — 17	19,3
Metal/sample	Silver	Gold/375, 500	Gold/583, 585	Gold/750	Gold/999

To make gold jewelry, an alloy of gold and other metals is used. To indicate the percentage of gold, jewelry is marked with a hallmark. The higher the standard, the more expensive the jewelry. Also, the higher the percentage of gold content, the higher the density of the entire product.

Archimedes' method is based on these features. How to take measurements:

1. Weigh the product (m).
2. Find the volume - put a glass of water on the scale, reset the weight (the scale should read 0). We lower the product being tested into the water on a rope (without touching the walls and bottom), and record the readings (v).
3. Carry out the calculation using the formula - p = m / v.
4. The resulting density (p) is compared with the table (density of precious metals).

For clarity, check out the video on density measurement:



How a pawn shop checks gold for authenticity

For each sample, a special acid is used, this is how a fake and sample of a gold product is detected.

The technique is as follows:

1. The product is passed over a silicon slate stone (something like an emery stone). Small particles of the sample being tested remain on the surface of the stone.
2. Depending on the gold purity, a drop of a certain acid is added.
3. They look at the result, which appears instantly: a good sample will not dissolve in acid, a bad one will dissolve partially, and the fake will disappear completely.

In more detail, the process of determining the sample and authenticity of gold products in the video:

Source: https://kachestvoved.ru/kak-proverit-zoloto-v-domashnix-usloviyax.html

12 ways to check gold for authenticity

iPhones are iPhones, but there are also more eternal values. How to check whether they are offering you real gold or a cheap fake? You can’t drown him in royal vodka!

We tell you how to avoid being deceived when buying gold and how to check its authenticity.

1. Look at the sample

Factory products always have a standard stamp with a hallmark. Fineness is the number of grams of pure metal in the alloy; the lower it is, the worse the quality.

According to Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated May 6, 2016 No. 394, all alloys in which more than 30% of the weight is precious metal must be stamped with hallmark. Standard samples for gold are 375 (lowest), 500, 583, 585, 750, 916, 958, 999 (highest - only 1 g of impurities per 1 kg of metal).

In the USA and Canada, carat hallmarks are used (9 carats correspond to the 375th hallmark, 24 carats correspond to the 999th). Moreover, the letter K next to the numbers means that the product itself is gold, and KGP means that it is plated with gold (karat gold plated).

In Belgium, gold samples are designated by numbers: 1 – 833, 2 – 750, 3 – 585. A similar system works in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: 0 – 999, 1 – 986, 2 – 900, 3 – 750, 4 – 585.

Examining a sample is often difficult. Use your smartphone in macro mode, then enlarge the photo and look at the sample in detail. The mark should not be crooked or blurry. This is, if you like, a passport of the product, so they are very careful when applying it.

2. Smell the product

Gold items should not have a smell. Even silver has a characteristic metallic smell, but gold does not.

3. Take a closer look at the joints

On bracelets or chains, you can often notice a difference in color between the metal of the link itself and its joints. This is because when soldering gold, they use solder of a higher standard - it melts more easily.

If you see a difference in color, everything is OK, the gold is real. If not, you should carefully check the product in other ways.

4. Attach a magnet

Plating steel or other alloys with a high iron content with gold or its imitation is a common practice. Only ferromagnets are strongly magnetic - iron, cobalt, nickel, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium.

Dimagnets (for example, water or table salt) and paramagnets (aluminum, etc.) are weakly magnetic. All non-ferrous metal is not magnetic.

If it happens on the beach or in places where tourists gather, buy the cheapest magnet in a souvenir shop and attach it to the product. If it sticks, it’s definitely a fake or the metal is of too low standard (too many iron impurities). If not, perform other checks.

5. Test with vinegar

Tell the seller that you will test the gold with vinegar. Are you nervous? There’s no need to run to the grocery store anymore. But a professional who is confident in his product will not sweat it.

Fake gold quickly darkens in vinegar - just pour a little into a glass and hold the metal in it for about five minutes. But real high-grade metal doesn’t care about anything.

6. Drop some iodine

Rub the product on jeans or other thick fabric, then drop iodine on this place on the metal. High standard gold does not darken. If the metal has darkened (this may appear within a minute), the product is not genuine or the standard is not too high.

But brass and copper do not change color from iodine either. So this testing method is good for high-grade gold, but it is not enough on its own.

We do not recommend testing products with iodine levels of 585 or lower. After iodine, you will definitely have to polish them or remove stains with ammonia; traces may remain.

7. Draw with lapis pencil

A lapis pencil is needed to stop the bleeding. This is an antiseptic based on silver nitrate, it can be bought at a pharmacy, it costs about 100-150 rubles.

To check the authenticity of gold, soak the item in water. Then, using a lapis pencil, draw a small line over the wet one and wipe it off.

Lapis does not react with gold, but does react with other metals. If a trace remains, then the gold is fake or of very low standard. Nothing will happen to genuine metal.

8. Look for gold in the sun and shade

Objects made of real gold shine equally strongly both in the shade and in direct sunlight. Admire the product in different lighting.

If in doubt, take an object that is definitely made of gold and compare the intensity of the shine.

9. Test with black bread

The method is safe (for real gold!), but slow. Take the crumb of black bread, remember, mix with water and stick the mixture onto the product. Leave it until the bread crumb turns into a dry crust, then break it apart.

If there are dark traces inside the crumb, it means the fake has oxidized. If not, then it is either gold or good gilding.

10. Run gold over tile or unglazed porcelain.

On unfired ceramic tiles or porcelain that is not glazed, gold will leave gold marks. After counterfeiting, the marks are gray or black.

Just draw with inconspicuous parts - fasteners, fasteners, so that it is not so noticeable. Gold may leave no traces at all on fired tiles.

11. Go to a pawn shop

In the pawn shop there are professionals who have an eye for gold. Invite the seller who wants to sell gold off his hands to go there with you - they say, let them evaluate the product.

The service costs 500 rubles, rarely more. But if you pretend to be a potential client, you can get an estimate for free (then you’ll pretend that you’ve changed your mind about selling).

12. Go to a jeweler

Jewelers not only determine the quality of gold items by eye, but also have special instruments for this. For example, a device with the otherworldly name “DeMon-U” will not only distinguish real gold from a fake, but will also indicate the sample.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2kKIk-CHG0

The check will cost a maximum of 1000 rubles, often less.

Don't try it on your teeth!

Gold is a soft metal, so if you squeeze it hard with your teeth, marks will appear. Agree, the seller will not like it and will force you to buy.

Athletes test their medals for the sake of photos. Moreover, gold medals are actually just gold plated.

By the way, fake aluminum behaves exactly the same way, so if the seller insists on a “teeth test”, don’t be fooled.

On the other hand, only a new product does not have even small scratches on the surface. If a person claims to be selling his used gold, but it appears to have only come from a factory, something is wrong here.

conclusions

If you buy gold secondhand or from an unverified store, use as many methods as possible to ensure the authenticity of the product. The main thing is not to try too hard, so as not to spoil the soft metal.

post:

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Source: https://www.iphones.ru/iNotes/12-sposobov-proverit-zoloto-na-podlinnost-07-08-2018

How to test gold at home for authenticity using iodine, magnet, vinegar and nitric acid

Hello, curious and enthusiastic people! Now I will tell you how to test gold at home. Here are techniques that are equally suitable for a found ring and for suspiciously shiny river sand. In addition, I will tell you how to protect yourself from fraud when buying expensive jewelry.

Ways to authenticate gold at home

There are many options for conducting an initial inspection of an item at home. Such tests do not provide a complete guarantee, but they will allow you to distinguish noble metal from costume jewelry or cheap fakes. To obtain extremely accurate data, it is better to contact an assay office or consult a jeweler.

Using vinegar and iodine

Gold is unusually inert:

• if you dip a piece of jewelry into table vinegar, nothing will happen;
• the fake item will react with the liquid - the color will change, perhaps gas will begin to be released, which will immediately become noticeable by the appearance of bubbles.

Iodine, on the contrary, will leave a dark stain on the precious metal, so if possible, choose the internal surfaces of the product for testing.

To remove such plaque, you can purchase it at a pharmacy and use a 30% solution of sodium sulfide.

lapis pencil

Another way is to test with silver nitrate. This substance is contained in a lapis pencil and is also freely sold in pharmacies.

Mark the selected item with a pencil dipped in water. The noble metal will remain unchanged; a black spot will appear on the jewelry after a few minutes.

Magnet

All noble and non-ferrous metals, including gold, are diamagnetic. How they react to a magnetic field can only be recorded using special measuring instruments. Therefore, if the item being tested belongs to noble alloys, it will not be attracted to the magnet.

Black bread

An exotic way to test gold can be done using rye bread. The crumb should be soaked in water until it becomes a paste and a metal object should be placed in it. After the mixture has dried, inspect the metal. If it is a fake, it will show signs of an oxidation reaction.

By sound

A technique that is great for solid jewelry - rings, pendants, cast bracelets.

The jewel needs to be dropped onto the glass surface:

1. When gold falls, it will make a high, clear ringing sound.
2. The knock from the fall of a fake item will be dull and tuneless.

For the purity of the experiment, use a product that is known to be genuine for comparison. This method is not suitable for woven bracelets and chains.

Archimedes' Paradox

As you know, the brilliant mathematician, by immersing a precious crown and a gold bar of similar weight in liquid, proved that the crown occupies a larger volume than the bar, therefore, there is less gold in it than it should be, and convicted the court jeweler of theft.

This method is good for massive items, but for small items hydrostatic weighing is used.

This technique is clearly demonstrated in this video:

Physical impact

This technique is based on the softness of the noble metal.

Run the decoration along the underside of the ceramic tile: the jewel will leave a golden mark, the trinket will leave a dark mark.

The obvious disadvantage of the test is that the product will become abraded.

By smell

You can also identify gold by smell. When checking this, you need to lightly rub the jewelry with your fingers. For comparison, you can take silver. After rubbing against the skin, a noticeable characteristic odor of silver or other metal will appear; gold has no odor.

Solar method

Carefully inspect the jewelry first in sunlight and then in a shaded area. The shine will be equally intense if the jewelry is gold. In the shade, the fake will become dull. For clarity, use a gold item that does not require verification.

Nitric acid

What happens if you drop nitric acid on gold? Answer: nothing, so you can safely carry out such a test at home. However, let me remind you that working with concentrated acids requires great care, and to carry out the test you must use glassware.

Ammonia

The inertness of the precious metal also applies to ammonia. When it acts on a gold item, the jewelry will only benefit, becoming noticeably cleaner, but oxidation spots will appear on the fake.

Touchstone

The touchstone, made from silicon slate, was previously widely used by jewelers.

To check, the product is passed over the stone, leaving a golden mark on it. Then apply a drop of the reagent to the marks. Authenticity is determined by the residual trace.

Which way is better

In my opinion, testing with chemical reagents gives the most reliable result of all of the above. However, nothing compares to the modern technical equipment of assay chambers, where specialists, without damaging the product, will issue a detailed list of the components of the composition in percentage terms.

Why is it better not to check for a tooth?

Firstly, this method is applicable only for products of very high purity of metal - only they are soft enough to leave a noticeable mark on them. 585-grade metal is still somewhat harder and can simply damage the tooth.

Secondly, even if there is a noticeable imprint of teeth left on the gold, this is unlikely to please the owner of the item. Not everyone will like a bitten jewel.

How to find out the hallmark of a gold product

What should you do if you happen to have a piece of jewelry in your hands or an untrimmed product? To not only check whether the gold in front of you is real or not, but also to determine the purity of the alloy, you should use a touchstone or hydrostatic weighing method.

How to distinguish gold from copper

A lapis pencil, iodine or touchstone will help here.

But checking with a magnet or vinegar will not give results - both metals will behave the same.

You can also rub things in your hands and smell them. The smell of copper is clearly distinguishable and recognizable, but gold does not smell.

How to distinguish gold from pyrite

Pyrite (iron pyrite or "fool's gold") is not much like a precious metal. This substance has a crystalline structure and consists entirely of edges and faces. It is noticeably harder than gold - such a find can be easily checked by embossing - scratching it with a fingernail or a copper object. A dent will appear on the gold, but the pyrite itself will leave a scratch.

How to avoid fraud when purchasing precious metals and gold products

I strongly recommend buying jewelry in specialized stores and not taking the risk of purchasing such items secondhand. But if you really need to, carefully examine the thing under the sun and in the shade, and also use a combination of two or three methods suggested above, for example, a magnet and a lapis pencil.

Tips for testing gold with iodine

Testing gold with iodine is a fairly well-known method of testing gold items for originality and authenticity. But as a result of the use of this technique, the question often arises of how to purify gold from iodine. Despite the need for cleaning, the popular technique does not disappoint. After all, the increasing number of cases of deceptive quality of gold products being offered is worrying buyers more and more often.

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Even Archimedes, who lived before our era, more than once tried to solve the problem of testing the gold on his crown to find out whether it was genuine. This task remains significant today. With the use of modern technology, precious gold metal is becoming not so difficult to counterfeit.

Meanwhile, the price of gold products is rising. Therefore, when you buy gold jewelry, you want to be sure that it is not a fake.

At home, it is impossible to verify the authenticity of the metal one hundred percent, but there are simple checks that will reduce the possibility of a case where gold jewelry may be fake.

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Methods for testing gold for authenticity

Today, questions about how to test gold for authenticity and with what materials this can be done are the most popular and significant. There are several simple ways to perform gold quality testing:

1. Magnet. If the product is fake or low quality, it will stick to a powerful magnet. This procedure can also be carried out at home. However, copper and aluminum are not magnetic, so it is possible to fake gold from them.
2. Lapis pencil (used for cauterizing wounds). By soaking the jewelry in water and drawing a small stripe where it was soaked, you can check the authenticity of the gold. After this, you should wipe the place where the line was placed with cotton wool. If a trace remains, then the product is most likely fake. For a more in-depth inspection, in a place where it will not be very noticeable, it is necessary to scratch or file the product. In this case, it is possible to recognize the authenticity of the jewelry both on the surface and inside.
3. Vinegar. Another simple method for determining the authenticity of gold at home. You should soak the decoration in vinegar for a few minutes. If it does not darken, then the gold is real, otherwise it is fake.
4. Using unfired ceramic tiles. If you run any metal over such a tile, you will see that a mark will remain. Now you can check the authenticity of the gold. After it, the line should be gold, but if it is another metal, then it should be black or gray.
5. Iodine. Yod is a universal whistleblower. With its help, you can find out the authenticity of not only gold, but also, for example, honey. Testing gold with iodine does not take much time. Unfortunately, even if you buy a product in a store, you cannot always be completely sure that the stamp assigned corresponds to the sample. It is possible to test gold at home.

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Samples 583 and 585: testing instructions

The most popular gold samples in Russia are 585 and 583, the alloys of which are distinguished by the presence of a reddish-orange hue. In Europe, 750 gold with a yellowish tint is widespread. In order to check gold for the authenticity of 583 and 585 samples, it is recommended to perform the following procedure:

1. Iodine must be used.
2. The surface of any piece of jewelry should be lightly sanded in an inconspicuous place with sandpaper.
3. Lubricate the surface of the sanded area with iodine.
4. In this case, it is recommended to monitor what chemical reaction will occur between the iodide reagent and gold.
5. If a dark spot remains on the area of ​​gold that has been worn, then the jewelry is genuine and made from 585-karat alloy.
6. If there are no dark spots, then the tested jewelry only looks like gold in appearance. These can be metals such as bronze, copper, brass.

Testing gold with iodine is the most common method of gold testing procedure. It is very simple and is mainly intended for non-professional beginners who understand little about gold hallmarks.

How to check gold for authenticity? There are many more ways: using various acids, various analyzes of product chips. But it is better to entrust these checks to a professional.

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Purification of gold from iodine

Since iodine reacts with copper, the fake will quickly change color

In the case when gold is tested with iodine, but a dark stain remains on the product, which is not so easy to wash off, the help of a proven technique will be required. A soap solution will definitely not help in this case, so removing stains of this kind requires a special approach. There are several ways to perform the cleansing procedure at home.

Using hyposulfite, which is usually used as a fixative (when developing photographs). It is usually sold in pharmacies or in stores for amateur photographers (which is less common now).

Sequencing:

• prepare a solution: dilute 1 tbsp in one glass of water. l. hyposulfite solution;
• the product is immersed in the resulting solution for half an hour;
• after the required time, the decoration is washed with water;
• wipe the decoration with a flannel cloth;
• iodine, reacting with gold, remains on the surface.

It is not always possible to remove iodine from gold using ammonia, but it is worth a try. You can soak a chain or ring in ammonia, or you can make a soap solution with it. After shaking them well in this solution, remove them and rinse under running water.

This method should be used carefully if the ring contains gems. Soap solution is harmful for jewelry containing pearls, turquoise, and corals.

You can resort to the most ancient method of purifying gold from iodine. To do this you should:

• Mix 70 g of bicarbonate of soda, 80 g of bleaching lime, 20 g of sodium chloride and dissolve in 1 liter of water;
• the solution must be heated;
• put the gold into the solution;
• as soon as the stains disappear, rinse the product with water;
• wet a soft cloth with alcohol and wipe the jewelry with it.

If these methods do not help and the issue remains unresolved, then it should be resolved with the help of consultation or the help of a jeweler.

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Removing dirt and nasty stains from gold jewelry

Over time, all gold products fade, become covered with a greasy film and stains, which deteriorates their noble appearance. Therefore, it is worth thinking about how to clean gold from dirt and stains in order to give it its original shine. There are a number of recommendations and tips for quickly and efficiently removing unpleasant plaque or dirt. The main options are:

1. To add shine, you should resort to ethyl alcohol, moistening a piece of soft cloth in it.
2. If the decoration is not very dirty, then soak it for half an hour in a solution of 1 tbsp. l. washing powder and 1 glass of water. Then rinse thoroughly.
3. For jewelry that is heavily soiled, prepare a mixture: 1 ampoule of hydrogen peroxide, 1 ampoule of ammonia, 1 tsp. washing powder and a glass of water. Soak the gold for no more than five minutes and rinse with water.

Checked and cleaned jewelry will delight you with its shine, radiance and beauty.

Source: https://grammzolota.ru/vidy/proverka-yodom-ochistit-domashnih-usloviyah.html

How to test gold at home for authenticity - with iodine, vinegar

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Gold products have always had a high cost and were in great demand. They are traditionally viewed as reliable investments that are not subject to inflation. The value of gold jewelry consists of artistic and historical values ​​(only highly qualified experts can determine them), as well as the direct “metal” value, which depends on the purity and weight. How to check gold for authenticity – we’ll talk in this article.

This is what the standard gold and foreign exchange reserves of many families look like

Before figuring out how to test gold, you first need to understand a little about what it is, how it is marked, and how it differs in type and properties in the compositions of different alloys.

A few words about gold, hallmarks and alloys

Gold belongs to the group of noble (precious) metals. According to its physical characteristics, it is soft and plastic, subject to deformation and rapid abrasion, and it is expensive, so gold in its pure form is not used for the production of jewelry. It is included in alloys with other metals, which give products strength and wear resistance. The percentage of gold in alloys is called fineness.

The noble shine of gold attracts and fascinates, which gives reason to agree with the opinion about certain magical properties of this metal

When talking about gold products, we most often mean the 585th or 750th standard, which contain 58.5 and 75% pure gold according to GOST, respectively. Along with it, the alloys also contain other metals, which are generally called alloys. It can consist of copper, silver, nickel, palladium, platinum and other metals in various combinations and proportions, which provides gold products with a variety of colors and shades, including the so-called “rose” or “white” gold.

The hallmark must be present on the inside of gold jewelry in the form of a printed imprint with the corresponding number (375, 585, 750, 999) next to the factory or author's mark.

The sample serves as a government guarantee confirming quality, and is one of the ways to check gold visually

Examine carefully under a magnifying glass the design of the mark and the hallmark numbers - on a quality product they should be clear, even, and clearly distinguishable. If there are grounds for doubt, compare the design with stamps and samples on other jewelry of which you are confident.

If there are a large number of counterfeits (even in the official jewelry trade), when buying gold items in a store, pawnshop, and even more so “from hand,” you need to know about other possibilities for checking gold for authenticity.

Chemistry to help us

Since gold practically does not oxidize, to verify its authenticity, either acids that react with other metals or iodine are used.

One of the very few chemicals that gold reacts to in contact with is commonplace iodine, which is found in any home medicine cabinet.

Those who are ready to use the method: how to test gold with iodine need to be very careful, since iodine should lead to a reaction with gold - a change in color and the appearance of a stain at the test site.

Therefore, a small rub with a file or sandpaper is made on an inconspicuous area on the inside to remove the outer layer of gold plating. Iodine is dripped onto the area exposed by the file and held for literally 1 minute, after which it is wiped with a cotton swab or soft cloth.

There should be a stain on real gold that needs to be cleaned immediately with toothpaste or baking soda solution. Read more about this in our article “How to clean gold.”

Instead of iodine, you can use a lapis pencil purchased at a pharmacy, which will cause a reaction in any metal except gold. With a pencil, just put a dot in the place of the cut, after moistening it with water, and monitor the changes that occur for 3-5 minutes.

Interaction with acids leads to a change in the color of base metals

A safer way to test for gold (but not for fakes) is to use acids. Since gold does not react with them, gold products should not change their color; impurities in the alloy may darken or lighten slightly, but crude fakes will become stained.

Of the most readily available household acids, table vinegar is quite suitable for this task. How to test gold with vinegar - immerse the items you want to authenticate in it and observe them for a few minutes. Nothing will happen to real gold jewelry.

Professionals advise using acid markers designed for gold of different grades, which can even be ordered online

Methods for testing gold at home are quite simple, but do not always guarantee the accuracy of the results. Sometimes you cannot do without the help of experienced appraisers. They know how to test gold using special reagents and equipment, such as spectral analysis.

Questions about how to check gold purchased from strangers in an underground passage are best avoided in principle. The probability of getting into trouble is much higher than the chances of getting rich at the expense of other people's “family heirlooms”.

Source: https://hozpedia.ru/kak-proverit-zoloto.html

Features of gold authentication using iodine

The number of cases related to the sale of counterfeit gold is increasing every day. The use of modern technologies makes it possible to make successful copies of jewelry, and from metals that are significantly inferior in value to gold. It is known that a 100% guarantee of the authenticity of gold jewelry can be obtained through expert evaluation of the product. At-home methods for testing gold items are also popular among jewelry buyers. How to test gold with iodine?

The thing is that only this metal is capable of entering into a chemical reaction with iodine tincture, as evidenced by the appearance of a dark spot at the site of application of the product. But, even despite its information content, this method of checking has one drawback: stains may remain on the gold product, spoiling the appearance of the jewelry. However, this problem can be solved, since after the test the stains can be easily removed.

Testing a gold coin with iodine

Features of the method

The authenticity of gold can be tested using iodine in a few minutes, but for testing you should prepare:

• a bottle of iodine;
• cotton swab;
• a piece of sandpaper.

First of all, you need to take the product and sandpaper. Then you should select a small area of ​​the item and rub it with paper (it is advisable to do this on the side that will not be visible when wearing the jewelry). Then the tip of a cotton swab should be soaked in iodine and this substance should be applied to the area of ​​​​the decoration treated with sandpaper.

After this, you can monitor the reaction of gold to iodine: evaluate the color of the stain that remains. The darkening of an area of ​​the product indicates that the jewelry being tested is indeed made of 585 gold.

If the stain has acquired a milky tint or has not changed color at all, then you can be sure that the product being tested is made from an alloy of less valuable metals, such as brass, copper or bronze.

Important: this verification method is not suitable if the jewelry contains precious stones!

How to remove a stain?

Even if testing gold with iodine has demonstrated that the jewelry made of the precious metal is genuine, the joy of the owner of the item can be overshadowed by one problem - the remaining dark spot on the jewelry.

Using some methods it can be removed, but no abrasives (cleaning powders, tooth powder, etc.) should be used for this purpose.

), otherwise the product can be hopelessly damaged! Products containing chlorine are also not suitable for this purpose, as they can damage the metal.

Iodine

Methods for purifying metal from iodine:

1. Using vinegar essence (but not table vinegar!). First of all, you should protect your hands with rubber gloves, since the substance you have to work with can cause skin burns. Soak a cotton pad in the essence and begin to thoroughly rub the iodine stain. After it is removed, the jewelry should be washed in running water.
2. Hyposulfite, which is sold at the pharmacy, will help remove iodine from a ring, chain, earring or other jewelry. Dilute a tablespoon of the chemical in a glass of water, and then immerse the gold product in this solution. After half an hour, the jewelry is removed from the liquid and washed thoroughly.
3. You can clean your jewelry in another way. To prepare the cleaning product, take 70 grams of bicarbonate of soda, the same amount of bleaching lime and 20 grams of sodium chloride. All these components should be mixed in a liter of water. The finished solution is heated to a warm state, after which gold is immersed in it and its appearance is monitored. After the stains disappear, the jewelry should be thoroughly rinsed and dried.
4. A proven method for removing iodine stains is to immerse the item in a glass of Coca-Cola. In addition, this drink perfectly cleans gold from fatty film and dirt.

If the methods listed above for purifying gold after testing with iodine did not bring results, do not despair. Craftsmen working in modern jewelry workshops, using special means, can remove a dark iodine stain from a piece of jewelry in a few minutes and return it to its ideal appearance.

Despite its advantages, testing precious metals with iodine cannot guarantee 100% reliability of the result. In order not to doubt the quality and authenticity of jewelry made of precious metals, they should be purchased in specialized stores, where certified products that have undergone expert evaluation are guaranteed to be sold.

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Source: https://DedPodaril.com/zoloto/imform/kak-proverit-zoloto-yodom.html