How to test gold with water

How to test gold at home or in the laboratory?

Almost every buyer thinks about how to test gold. Despite the fact that the quality of gold products is strictly regulated by the law on precious metals and stones, there are often cases when, when purchasing expensive jewelry, you may encounter a fake.

Gold is a metal that is quite rare in its pure form. In most cases, the share of gold in jewelry is about 75%, the rest is all kinds of alloys of other metals.

There are many different ways to test gold, both complex and expensive, and those that can be done at home. The most accurate results are obtained by laboratory tests and nitric acid, but simpler, but time-tested methods should not be neglected.

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What should you know about gold?

Gold jewelry is an expensive pleasure. If you notice that the cost is suspiciously low, it most likely contains alloys of other metals. However, cost is not always an indicator. Sometimes you can buy a fake at a cost equivalent to a product made of pure gold.

Pure, 100% gold alloy will never cause allergies. If you experience an allergic reaction, this is the first sign that some impurities have been added to the alloy. Most often they can be manganese, cobalt, chromium and other substances that cause allergies.

In addition, you may encounter metal products that completely match gold in appearance. For example, the naturally occurring metal pyrite, which has a golden color and characteristic luster. Pyrite metal is not that expensive, but it is enough not to use it in making counterfeits.

In most cases, cheap metals such as copper are used for counterfeits, after which they are coated with gold plating.

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How to test gold at home?

Gold jewelry can be tested using a crumb of bread

There are many ways to check whether a product is genuine without leaving home and at a minimal cost. Below are the 11 most famous gold testing methods:

1. For the first method, you will need glass and a genuine gold sample of the same size as the product being tested. The method consists of comparing the sound when a test product and a genuine product fall onto a glass surface. If the sound is the same, the alloy is no different.
2. The popular way to test gold using black bread crumb is to wrap the gold object in the crumb and leave it for a couple of days. When the bread becomes stale, the object is removed from the frozen crumb. If the metal oxidizes or turns green, this is a sure sign that it is not genuine.
3. The simplest method is to test gold with water. Take a small transparent container and fill it with water, then lower the product under test into it: the slower it sinks to the bottom, the more impurities it contains.
4. In addition, the test can be carried out using aqua regia, which corrodes everything except gold. Therefore, do not test jewelry that is dear to you in this way.
5. Testing gold using a lapis pencil involves directly applying it to the test item moistened with water: gold will not change in color, but a metal such as gilded copper will turn black.
6. Plain porcelain can help determine the authenticity of a piece. To do this, it is necessary to pass the test object along its surface. Gold will leave a streak of yellow color, while dark streaks will be left by the metal pyrite.
7. Gold does not leave scratches on glass. Any other metal will scratch the surface. If scratches appear, you are dealing with a fake.
8. Regular iodine can help determine authenticity. When gold comes into contact with iodine, no traces remain on the product, while other metals undergo various changes. However, this method can take a lot of time: from a couple of hours to several days. If you have items that are dear to you, the authenticity of which you doubt, do not store them next to first aid kits to avoid the metal entering into a chemical reaction with iodine.

9. Gold is not attracted to a magnet, so it can be used for testing

   Pure alloys do not react to magnets. If the test object is attracted, impurities have been added to its alloy.

10. When various metals interact with vinegar, you may observe their darkening. However, this rule does not apply to gold items, so applying vinegar to the metal is also a good method of testing gold.
11. Nitric acid is one of the most reliable methods. For this test you only need one drop of acid. Under no circumstances should a genuine product turn green. Nitric acid reacts best with copper and silver. So, if there is a qualitative reaction, most likely you are dealing with one of these metals.

Now you know how to test gold at home. However, none of the above methods will give a 100% guarantee.

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Semi-professional methods: nitric acid and touchstone

There are 2 ways to check the authenticity of gold at home, which will give a more accurate result:

1. Nitric acid. This is perhaps the most popular method. Reagents for testing can be purchased at specialized jewelry stores or in chemical laboratories. The set includes gold needles of various samples and the reagent itself for testing: either nitric or sulfuric acid. The method consists of several steps: initially a small scratch is made on the test product, onto which nitric acid (or sulfuric acid) is subsequently applied. The acid-treated piece is then compared to the needles in the set under a magnifying glass to determine the gold purity.
2. Touchstone. The touchstone has a matte, pre-polished surface. Reagents for testing are purchased at a specialized jewelry store. The method consists of gentle friction with the product being tested, and then with samples from the kit against the test reagent, that is, directly with the touchstone. After this, you need to compare the strokes left on the stone. The test is designed to match the strokes of the product being tested with one of the samples, which makes it possible to identify the sample.

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Laboratory tests

How to test gold using improvised and semi-professional methods was discussed earlier. However, there are more accurate and expensive ways to find out whether a product is genuine. Such studies are carried out in specialized laboratories using various instruments.

1. Research can be carried out using electronic testers, which can be purchased at home, but it will not be so cheap. The tester scans the product and then displays the degree of purity of impurities.
2. Checking a gold product can also be done using X-rays, which make it possible to find out about all its components. Such studies are carried out exclusively in laboratories and are quite expensive.
3. Assay analysis allows you to determine the purity of gold in large items. Gold is tested by separating a small part from the product, which is subsequently alloyed with lead and silver. Lead and silver collect the pure gold together, after which the resulting alloy is weighed to determine the amount of pure gold originally included in the composition. This type of research is not suitable for gold jewelry as it is too small.

Gold is tested in various ways: methods where the use of improvised means is sufficient, laboratory and semi-professional methods that use nitric acid or a touchstone.

It all depends on how much effort and money you are willing to spend on checking. In the end, you can always go to a pawnshop, where a specialist will check the gold and determine the authenticity of the product for sure and, moreover, will not require a lot of money for it.

Source: https://grammzolota.ru/vidy/proverit-azotnoy-kislotoy-metalla-kachestvennaya-reaktsiya.html

How to check gold for authenticity and against counterfeiting at home

There is a situation in every person’s life when he needs to check the authenticity of a piece of jewelry at home. Moreover, in the modern world, fraudsters have learned to counterfeit gold jewelry in such a way that not every professional can recognize a skillful fake. Let's look at the 14 most popular ways to test gold at home.

How to distinguish gold from fake

Of course, the surest way to distinguish gold from a fake is to go to a jeweler. Only he can give a 100% guarantee. However, many jewelry workshops charge a sum of money for examination, often equal to the price of the product. If you are not ready to throw money away, try doing it yourself using one of the suggested methods.

By the tooth

One of the easiest ways to verify the authenticity of gold jewelry is the method of our ancestors. You just need to bite him. Real precious metal will always leave teeth marks. The danger of this experiment is that it may damage your teeth and the appearance of your jewelry. Sometimes fakes contain very hard metals.

Advantages of the method:

• very easy to implement method.

Minuses:

• There are many other soft metals besides gold;
• low verification accuracy;
• risk of damage to the jewelry.

Stamp and hallmark

Hold the piece of jewelry you want to check. Each gold product has a quality mark - hallmark. In order to see it, you will most likely need a magnifying glass.

According to worldwide requirements, the sample is placed in the following places:

• On chains and bracelets, the test is placed on the clasp.
• On earrings with an English lock, the stamp is on the outer or inner side of the clasp - the bow.
• On rings, look for a stamp on the inside; if the ring has a stone or has a figured addition, the hallmark should be in the middle.
• On a gold watch, the hallmark is located on the inside of the dial itself. In the case where the watch is made entirely of gold (both the dial and the strap), the sample is placed inside the clasp.
• On stud earrings, the sample is on the clasp, or on the stem itself.

Important: the hallmark always accurately indicates the gold purity in numbers, for example, 585.

Interesting fact! In stores we almost always buy 585 gold. However, no one knows that the standard of pure gold without admixtures of other metals is 999. All other samples indicate an alloy. The higher the purity, the more gold it contains.

Pros:

• high accuracy of verification of gold jewelry not purchased secondhand.
• verification requires additional tools;
• no harm to the product.

Minuses:

• Fraudsters have long learned to counterfeit jewelers' marks.

Color and sound

In order to check the quality of gold jewelry at home, you just need to throw it on a flat table surface:

• Real gold should ring like crystal. Its sound should be very clear.
• You can conduct a sound test only with small jewelry: earrings, brooches and rings. Bracelets and watches are not suitable for this experiment.
• The table can be replaced with a glass cup.

Identifying gold by appearance can be quite difficult. Its color often depends on its subspecies. There is white, yellow, red and rose gold in the world. Moreover, alloys of some less valuable metals give a golden color.

The main external sign of a fake is an excessively yellow color. However, there are also pitfalls here: Turkish gold also has a rich yellow color.

Checking with improvised means

Of course, checking using the above methods does not always give a 100% guarantee that what you are looking at is not a fake. Perhaps you did the experiment incorrectly (you didn’t see the sample or the top covering of the table turned out to be too soft) or you still doubt the quality of the gold product.

Then the following available means will come to the rescue: iodine, vinegar and ordinary black bread. Read on to learn how to check.

Iodine

To check authenticity using iodine you need:

• Place 1 drop of iodine on the jewelry and wait 5 minutes.
• Wipe the iodine with a tissue or rinse with water. If the jewelry has changed color and darkened, it is a fake. When darkening, the color of the product changes to gray or black with a greenish tint.

Place one drop of iodine on the jewelry and wait five minutes

Vinegar

Another easy way to check authenticity is to use regular table vinegar:

• To do this, you need to pour a small amount of vinegar into a ceramic or plastic bowl (never an iron one).
• Place the decoration in it and leave for 5-7 minutes.
• Gold will not change its appearance in any way , but the fake will darken.

Nitric acid

Another method of chemically testing gold for authenticity is the reaction to nitric acid:

• To conduct the experiment, place the jewelry being tested in a deep metal bowl and drop 1 drop of nitric acid onto it.
• If the product does not change color to green or milky , it means it is made of gold.

To conduct the experiment, place the jewelry being tested in a deep metal bowl and drop just one drop of nitric acid onto it.

Scratch with a needle

You can also check the authenticity of a gold item using a regular needle. To do this, you need to forcefully scrape the jewelry being tested with a needle. Nothing will happen to real gold. But the gilding will come off easily.

Contact with gold

Every person has a gold item, the authenticity of which he has no doubt:

• In order to carry out the test, you need to: draw a line with real gold on a hard surface.
• Carry out a similar action on the same surface and with the object you doubt.
• There should be no differences between the lines.

You can purchase a special jewelry set with samples of different metals. This way you will determine not only the authenticity of the gold, but also its quality.

Magnet

Every person knows that pure gold is in no way magnetic:

• Apply the product being tested to a magnet and see what comes out of it all.
• If a product is even slightly attracted to a magnet, it is an alloy of metals. Copper can most often be passed off as gold. However, counterfeit gold items often involve metals such as aluminum, copper and tin. They also do not respond to magnetic testing, but are lighter in weight than similar gold products.

lapis pencil

Lapis pencil is a drug for stopping bleeding and treating wounds. You can easily buy it at a pharmacy.

To check the decoration you need:

• Wet the product with running water.
• Draw a line on the wet product with a lapis pencil.
• Wipe off the mark with a dry cloth.

If a pencil mark remains on the surface of the product, this is another fake.

Black bread

For this experiment you will need fresh bread crumb. You can check absolutely any product in this way:

• We take the crumb and wrap the gold product in it.
• Roll into a ball and leave for several days until it becomes stale.
• When this happens, remove the product from the bread. The appearance of gold will not change in any way, but the alloys will undergo oxidation and change color.

Ceramic tile

If you have untreated ceramic tiles at home, you can use them as a gold test:

• To do this, you need to run various metals and the product you want to test over the tile.
• The trail from it should be golden. Other metals will leave behind black and gray streaks.

Reaction to the sun

For this method of verification, you will have to work a little with nature. A bright sunny day is required:

• First, carefully examine the product being tested in the shade. Remember how it shines, what color it is.
• Now we do the same under direct sunlight. Standing on the street, look how bright and presentable the product looks.
• Real gold never loses its appearance in any weather conditions.

Archimedes' method

This verification method is more suitable for large gold items (for example, gold bars). However, it requires some effort and knowledge.

For this experiment you will need a deep container and water:

• Fill the container with water to the brim. You should first find out how much water you have collected.
• Slowly and carefully immerse the gold item in the container and let the water overflow (leak out) over the edges.
• Now let’s remember Archimedes’ law of buoyancy: “A body immersed in a liquid is acted upon by a buoyant force equal to the weight of the liquid in the volume of the immersed object.”
• Using the formula FA=pgV, where p is the density of the liquid, g is the acceleration of gravity and V is the volume of the immersed body, we find out the mass of the gold product. The density of water is 900 kilograms per 1 cubic meter.

According to Archimedes' law, gold must sink. Since its weight is greater than the volume of displaced liquid. The nuances of the method are in the video below.

Tips and tricks

Every year the price of gold increases. Along with it, methods of fraud and counterfeiting are also growing. In order to reduce the risk of purchasing a counterfeit when purchasing, use the following tips:

1. Buy jewelry only from trusted stores. You should not purchase the product secondhand or on the street. You should also avoid pawn shops and shops of dubious appearance.
2. Precious metals are always expensive. If you see a suspiciously cheap product, then most likely it is a fake.
3. Pay attention to the appearance of the product. It should shine and have an even color. It should be free of scratches, dents and stains.
4. Oddly enough, gold has no smell. If you are in doubt, no one in the store will stop you from smelling the jewelry.

Using these tips, the risk of buying fake gold is significantly reduced. And if you have doubts about the authenticity of previously purchased gold jewelry, then you know 14 ways to check the gold yourself.

Source: https://srazuchisto.com/uborka/ukrasheniya/proverit-zoloto.html

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

Tompak, Aufor, Pinchbeck, Goldin, Vermeil, Belgica, Similor These and a dozen other popular alloys have absolutely nothing to do with gold, but outwardly they cannot be distinguished from the noble metal. In the age of advanced technology, the famous phrase “all that glitters is not gold” acquires particular relevance. Imitation gold jewelry is a profitable business for scammers.

To avoid becoming their victim, use simple methods to verify the authenticity of jewelry. Vika Preobrazhenskaya July 05, 2018

A high-quality fake cannot be distinguished from the original.
Therefore, the main advice is to purchase gold jewelry only from trusted showrooms with a good reputation. And if in doubt, contact professional jewelers to check the value and quality.

To independently diagnose gold for authenticity, start by studying the basic properties of the yellow metal.

Properties and features of metal

The history of the precious metal can be compared with the history of civilization: the Old Testament contains lines about gold. Metal has been used in jewelry for over 5 thousand years: religious objects, utensils, and gilded clothes were made from it. There is no such thing as 100% pure gold - it cannot be completely purified from impurities of other metals (even bank bars are 99.99% gold, which is obtained exclusively in laboratories). Gold stands out in three ways.

1. Strength. Aurum is a soft, ductile metal with a hardness similar to that of a fingernail. Thanks solely to this property, the gold alloy can be given absolutely any shape and is easy to process. The new product is sold perfectly polished. Worn jewelry is distinguished by scratches and abrasions. If you scratch gold with a pin, it will leave a mark. After checking the metal “tooth”, a light impression will also be preserved.
2. Smell. Real gold has no smell. If, after rubbing in your hands, a metal product has a characteristic odor, then it is unlikely to be a real gold object.
3. Color. Pure gold is yellow in color with a warm tint and a noble shine. Gold with an admixture of copper has reddish tones. The places where the links join will be slightly different in color: soldering is always brighter. True, this can be seen on the woven elements of chains and bracelets. On earrings and rings the color difference is not noticeable.

Kinds

Pure metal is not used to create gold jewelry due to its softness. In the original alloy, the percentage of noble metal is 37.3; 58.5 and 75%. This indicator determines the sample. The rest is impurities that are responsible for color and hardness. Currently, there are ten types of gold of different shades, which are obtained by alloying. This is the name given to the process of adding alloys of other metals.

1. Yellow. Classic look. The popular 585 standard contains 58.5% gold, 18% silver, and the rest is copper. The lesser known 750 standard is 75% gold, 17% silver, with the remainder copper.
2. White. It is obtained by combining gold with manganese, palladium or nickel. The latter metal is allergenic, which is why nickel in jewelry has been banned in Europe for more than 15 years.
3. Pink. Ultra-fashionable connection with copper and silver.
4. Red. The alloy contains a lot of copper (half). In European countries it is considered low-grade.
5. Green. An exotic alloy of gold, silver and potassium.
6. Blue. Compound with indium.
7. Blue. Connection with iron and chromium.
8. Purple. An alloy with aluminum, which is used as inserts in jewelry.
9. Brown. Otherwise called chocolate and is created by special processing of the surface layer. Canadian jewelers call the new compound 584 hallmark.
10. Black. Another newfangled jewelry trend. This is either an oxidized alloy of gold, chromium and cobalt, or a special technology of coating gold jewelry with a layer of amorphous carbon or black rhodium.

Authentication

Visual assessment is the fastest, easiest and, of course, the first way to independently check the authenticity of a product. Please note two things.

1. Try. Carefully examine the “wrong side” of the decoration. It is easy to distinguish between the sample stamp and the manufacturer's imprint with the naked eye. They are mechanical and laser. A magnifying glass or magnifying glass will help you see the mark better. The print must have clear outlines, numbers and markings must be readable and understandable. Counterfeits can also be stamped with hallmarks, and in this case only a competent jeweler can distinguish a fake. Jewelry without hallmark is 100% fake.
2. Tag. The passport of the decoration is the tag, whose presence is also required. The manufacturer puts a quality control stamp on it and indicates the following parameters: name, metal name, sample, size, weight, description of the inserts.

Pay attention to the weight of the proposed precious purchase, especially a massive one. Large jewelry may have foreign metals soldered into it to add weight. You are unlikely to find out what is contained inside a voluminous chain or ring and will buy ordinary jewelry instead of jewelry. Externally, a massive gold item cannot be light: it means it is hollow or made of dubious alloys.

Magnet

High-grade gold will not stick to a powerful magnet because it has anti-magnetic properties. Aluminum and copper are slightly attracted.

If a chain, earrings or ring sticks strongly to a magnet, it means that it contains an impurity that is susceptible to the influence of a magnetic field. If 585 gold (or higher) is highly magnetic, the home authenticity test has failed. This is a fake containing iron, nickel, steel, cobalt or their alloys.

Another way is to roll the decoration into the crumb of black bread for a maximum of half an hour. If the item has oxidized and darkened, your gold is not gold at all.

Iodine

Gold, being an inert metal, practically does not oxidize and enters into a chemical reaction with only a few substances. Iodine is one of them. It is considered a good marker for precious metal. Be as careful as possible and proceed in three steps.

1. Application. Apply a drop of iodine to the back side or an inconspicuous area of ​​the product (you can use a toothpick).
2. Expectation. Let's wait a minute or two. Remove iodine with a cotton pad.
3. Evaluation of the result. If a chemical reaction has occurred and a stain remains, you have the original. In general, jewelry is “afraid” of iodine: it darkens even if it just lies next to the bubble. Immediately remove the stain with toothpaste or tooth powder. The absence of traces of iodine or light milky stains are characteristic of a fake.

There is a known way to check the naturalness of the metal with another antiseptic drug - brilliant green. The procedure is similar. On precious metal jewelry, a green stain applied will change the color to lilac or purple.

Lapis pencil

In a home examination, you can use this antiseptic, silver-containing agent, the main function of which is hemostatic. You need to draw a line on the decoration dipped in water using a lapis pencil and erase it after a few seconds. The remaining trace will indicate a fake.

If a product placed in a container with vinegar becomes dark or changes color, this is an imitation jewelry item.

Acid

The chemical properties of the metal are such that it does not interact with acids and alkalis. Therefore, the method is considered one of the most reliable. To distinguish real jewelry from fake, nitric acid is used. Proceed in two steps.

1. Application. Place the product in a clean metal container. Using a pipette, apply a drop of nitric acid to the decoration.
2. Evaluation of the result. If the gold has changed color to greenish or has become stained, it is a crude counterfeit. The color will change slightly and take on a milky tint - on a gold-plated product or if it contains impurities. The color and appearance of real gold will remain unchanged.

You can also use a special acid kit, sold in jewelry stores and in chemical reagent and laboratory supply stores.

Since Aurum is one of the heaviest metals, its quality can be determined by immersion in water. Real gold sinks very quickly, and products with a large amount of impurities or counterfeits sink slowly and smoothly.

Test for fashionable white products

The reason for the popularity of white gold is fashion and its features: it is much harder than yellow, which allows you to securely mount and frame precious stones.

The alloy contains palladium, manganese or nickel, which gives it a matte silver color. In everyday life, white gold is mistakenly called platinum, which is actually much more expensive. In appearance, white metal is very similar to silver, so they can also be easily confused.

Sulfur ointment, which is sold in pharmacies, will help you test white gold at home. The decoration should be coated with a thick layer of the preparation for a couple of hours. Silver or an alloy with a high content will definitely turn black, but white gold will retain its original appearance, that is, a chemical reaction will not occur.

White precious metals can be distinguished from each other and from steel by their density. To do this, the volume and weight of the product are determined, then the density is calculated using the formula, and the indicator is compared with the “native” densities of the metals. If the jewelry, in addition to the metal itself, also has stones, this method will not work.

The time of special demand for jewelry is the days before New Year (the main peak is the last week of the end of the year). According to statistics, from the first days of December the number of fraudulent cases has at least doubled. To avoid running into a fake, be vigilant and pay attention to the presence of the sample and tags.

And most importantly, do not under any circumstances buy jewelry in underground passages, on the beach, or in markets from dubious sellers. Make jewelry purchases only in specialized stores.

If you doubt the authenticity of the jewelry, contact professionals who, using special equipment, will accurately determine the quality and price of the metal. It is clear that this service will be paid. But purchasing gold is also a kind of investment.

Source: https://women365.ru/kak-proverit-zoloto/

How to determine whether it is gold or not if there is no sample

Before buying a precious metal, and often after it, people think about how to determine gold or not. The market is increasingly making us think about this, because gold mining has decreased significantly, and store shelves are being filled with new goods at the same pace.

Checking the product before purchasing

New stores selling gold appear every day, but not all sellers strive for honest earnings. Cases of purchasing products containing only a small part of gold are becoming more frequent. Fraudsters are finding new ways to bypass inspection services. But how is the sample determined in such cases?

Often only a small part of the product is provided for inspection - it may be a link or lock of a chain made at a high level of quality, but the rest of the product may leave much to be desired.

During the inspection, only the top layer of the product will be assessed, and the rest of the composition remains known only to the manufacturer.

Gold is a fairly soft metal that is prone to rapid abrasion, so high-quality jewelry is usually represented by an alloy based on a noble chemical element. A high-quality alloy, made in accordance with technology, will have high strength and durability without losing its pleasant golden shine.

Before buying gold, you need to check its authenticity

In order not to fall for the tricks of scammers, you need to be more careful before transferring money to the seller. It is enough to know two simple rules:

1. In an effort to save money, you should not purchase gold products from unknown stores. High-quality jewelry is sold only by specialized salons that specialize in the sale of gold and have a good reputation. Of course, prices in such stores will be higher, but the client will always have the opportunity to see a certificate confirming quality.
2. Before you buy, you need to thoroughly study the product you are purchasing. It’s good if the sample together with the manufacturer’s imprint are visible to the naked eye - this is a sign of a quality product. The internal parts of the jewelry must be neat, without major defects, which will indicate the skill of the manufacturer.

Determining the authenticity of gold

There are a number of fairly simple techniques that allow you to identify the authenticity of gold. You can carry out the check yourself, using only available tools. All tests are based on the chemical and physical properties of the noble metal and do not require special preparation to carry them out.

The tricks described below will help you distinguish a crude fake from a high-quality precious metal. But if the fake was made by an experienced fraudster and has some special impurities, then it is better to entrust the verification to an experienced jeweler. In such a situation, only a professional can give a correct assessment of the product.

Determining the quality of jewelry in an apartment can be carried out using one of the following methods:

• sound authentication;
• checking strength characteristics;
• reaction to contact with iodine or vinegar;
• exposure to lapis pencil;
• reaction to a magnet;
• interaction with a high-quality gold product;
• reaction to sunlight.

Each method is good in its own way and is used in certain cases.

Sound check

Many people use this method.

To perform the test, simply pick up a piece of gold jewelry and throw it onto a very hard, flat surface. High-quality gold will produce a clear, ringing sound, similar to crystal.

Experts trust this technique, but note that it is not suitable for everyone. To use this method you need to have a good ear for music. Another disadvantage is the inability to check products such as chains and bracelets with many links. Such jewelry will not produce the required sound.

An ancient way of testing gold for authenticity

Strength test

If there is no sample on the jewelry, and its material is in doubt, then you should use a reliable, so-called old-fashioned testing method.

In the old days, people checked the authenticity of a gold coin “by the tooth.” If, after checking, the coin had a bite mark or a scratch, then it was real.

This is explained by the softness of gold, known from the school curriculum. If a fake was in hand, the inspector could even lose a tooth due to the hardness of the fake.

Of course, you won’t be able to do this in a jewelry store, but you can check already purchased items in this way. Just don't bite them - this can cause damage to your teeth.

It is enough to use some sharp object to scratch the product on the back side. The fake gold will become dark or completely black under the scratch, while real gold will retain its hue.

Before conducting the experiment, you need to choose a place where the scratches will not be visible, so as not to spoil the appearance of the jewelry.

Iodine-vinegar experiments

Iodine is often used when testing gold at home, as it is one of the most reliable methods. In addition, iodine can be easily purchased at any pharmacy.

To carry out the test, one drop is enough, which is placed on the back of the jewelry for 3 minutes. After time, the iodine is carefully removed from the surface with a soft material. Real gold will not react, so the surface of the metal will remain unchanged.

With a low-quality product, iodine will react, leaving a stain ranging from light to very dark shades. If there is no iodine in the medicine cabinet, then a similar experiment can be carried out using vinegar. The decoration or part of it is placed in vinegar for a certain period of time. If the metal darkens, it means the jewelry is fake.

There is also a third test method using chemistry. You will need gold chloride. It is applied to the surface of the product being tested. Real gold will not react, but fake gold will begin to hiss or darken.

You can check the authenticity of gold using a lapis pencil

Exposure to a magnet

Nowadays, it is rare to come across scammers who apply thin gold plating on top of other metals. Previously, this method of deception was popular, so home collections may still contain similar jewelry. Before checking the product, you need to find a magnet in the house.

The fake is magnetic, but real gold will not react.

This method is not effective if the basis for the counterfeit is aluminum, copper or bronze. These metals do not react to magnets, so they do not allow you to reliably verify the authenticity of the jewelry.

Interaction with other gold

In every home you can find gold products that have a good reputation. Such a piece of jewelry could be passed down for generations or is of great value without raising doubts about its quality. A similar script will allow you to check any other gold product. The best effect can be achieved if both jewelry is made of metal with the same purity.

Using jewelry, you need to draw two stripes on a hard object using equal effort. But how do you recognize real gold? The trace from the same metals is practically no different, so by comparing the two features one can draw the appropriate conclusions.

In the sun and in the shade, true gold does not lose its shine

Reaction to sunlight

This is another simple method for determining gold. To check, you will need to select a sunny day. It is better to carry out the test outside so that the product gets good direct sunlight.

The controversial decoration must first be examined in the shade, and then taken out into the sun. The shine and color should not differ in both cases. Fake jewelry in the shade fades significantly and loses its presentable appearance, which appears in the sun.

To make the most accurate conclusions, it is better to use several verification methods at once. If after the tests you still have doubts, then you need to contact a jewelry workshop, where for a small fee a master will determine the authenticity of the product with 100% accuracy.

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Source: https://fintolk.ru/o-raznom/kak-opredelit-zoloto-ili-net-esli-net-proby.html

How to check gold for authenticity at home: 8 ways

Due to the fact that there are a lot of scammers around, it makes sense to protect yourself. Today we tell you how to check gold for authenticity. Of course, it is always better to contact a professional jeweler, but according to tradition, we will carry out manipulations at home. If you have experience in such matters, please share it with other readers.

Chemical means for testing gold for authenticity

Before checking whether it is gold or not, choose the appropriate option for yourself from the options below. At home, you can use iodine, silver nitrate or vinegar essence.

No. 1. Iodine

1. If the metal is genuine, when it comes into contact with iodine it will react and darken.

2. The procedure is carried out as follows: apply 1 drop to gold jewelry or soak a cotton swab in the preparation, then rub it over the metal.

3. If the surface darkens, then you can be sure that this is genuine gold.

4. You can remove inspection marks by wiping the jewelry with a cotton sponge soaked in a 30% sodium hyposulfite solution. This product is sold in all pharmacies.

No. 2. Silver nitrate (lapis pencil)

1. Silver nitrate reacts with various metals, with the exception of gold. This drug is supplied to pharmacies under the name lapis pencil.

2. Before testing the gold, wet the item with clean water. Next, at home, proceed as follows: run a pencil over the wet decoration and evaluate the result.

3. If the metal is real, it will not change in shade. A fake, on the contrary, will darken or take on a different color.

4. It is important to remember that it is pointless to test low-grade gold in this way. Because in addition to gold, such jewelry contains impurities.

No. 3. Vinegar essence

1. Using vinegar essence is advisable if you are interested in how to test gold for authenticity. But do not confuse ordinary vinegar, available at home, with 70% essence (this is what we need).

2. So, dip the metal in a highly concentrated solution for 4-6 minutes, wait for the result. If the jewelry becomes dark or another reaction makes itself felt (for example, gas formation), the product is fake.

3. Real high-grade metal will never react with vinegar essence. Also, you will not see a reaction if the factory jewelry contains an acceptable amount of impurities.

4. In cases where a small part of real metal is added to the fake, the reaction will be uneven. That is, the decoration may darken in several places.

5. Remember that real gold will not react. And be careful when testing items that contain silver or other metal that could be damaged by the essence.

Other ways to determine the authenticity of gold

Before checking gold for authenticity, we suggest you consider a few more effective methods that you can use at home.

No. 1. Magnet

If the fake is of low quality, it will have gold plating. In this case, the product in most cases is made of a steel base. If you hold a magnet, the decoration will become magnetized.

No. 2. Gold

To determine the authenticity of one piece of jewelry, you need to use another real gold piece. Use the last product to scratch the object being tested. As a result, the traces left should not differ in any way.

No. 3. Ceramics

Try to scratch the tiles made of ceramics with a gold item. If the metal is truly precious, then it will leave behind a golden color. In other cases, a dark streak remains from the fakes.

No. 4. Rye bread

Soak a piece of rye bread in water. Cover the decoration with the finished mixture. If it is a fake, then after the composition dries, traces of oxidation will be visible on it.

No. 5. Polishing

Polish the product being tested. If the jewelry is truly gold, it will give almost the same shine regardless of whether you are in the sun or in the shade. The fake one noticeably fades in the dark.

We looked at the most popular ways to distinguish gold from fake. Study them all and use the appropriate option at home. Try not to fall for fakes, be careful.

Source: https://more-vsego.net/kak-proverit-zoloto-na-podlinnost-v-domashnih-uslovijah-8-sposobov.html

How to test gold at home?

Gold is one of the most popular precious metals for jewelry: earrings, rings, chains, crosses and brooches and many other products are made from this material. Both men and women love its expensive and pleasant shine.

Jewelry stores offer a huge range of jewelry, but sometimes we wonder about the quality of this alloy, because nowadays scammers often counterfeit this noble metal. And no one wants to buy a fake instead of expensive jewelry.

Therefore, it would be a good idea to learn how to test gold at home.

What is real gold?

In its pure form, gold is a soft and malleable metal, which is why it cannot be used by jewelers to make jewelry. In order to strengthen gold, it contains some additives:

• Copper.
• Bronze.
• Silver.
• Cadmium.
• Platinum.
• Nickel.
• Brass.

Important! Depending on the additives used in the alloy, white, yellow and red gold are distinguished.

Types of gold

According to the color characteristics, there are three types of metal luster:

1. The classic option is yellow gold - its color is determined by the following components: gold, silver and copper, which are present in the alloy in equal parts.
2. The red metal was used to make cutlery and church utensils. This alloy is the cheapest, since its composition is dominated by copper.
3. Recently, white gold has come into fashion. A solid steel shine is achieved by adding platinum, but the cost of such products is higher.

Gold content

It is common knowledge that all precious items bear a mark confirming their authenticity and quality. In addition, each combination of numbers corresponds to a certain percentage of gold in the alloy. How to find out the gold sample at home and what are its values?

Important! You can examine the sample on the product if you carefully examine the surface of the gold jewelry. If it is a ring, then it is often located inside, and if it is earrings, then on their bow. Use a magnifying glass to magnify the stamp.

Gold fineness value:

• 999. This designation indicates pure metal without any impurities. A product with such a hallmark does not exist, but it is quite possible to purchase bars with such a hallmark in a bank. Their weight starts from one gram.
• 750. Such products are not often found, but such a sample indicates 75% gold content in the composition.
• 585 and 583 are the most common alloys used in the production of gold jewelry. That is, in such products the share of precious metal is slightly higher than 50%.
• 375. And gold with such a low purity is used for the manufacture of wristwatches, inlay and decoration of various objects, as well as antiques. This material is reliable and low cost.

All that glitters is not gold

After purchasing jewelry, it still makes sense to check the gold at home, because unscrupulous manufacturers may engage in deliberate deception in order to make money. And what’s offensive is that sometimes the inspection authorities may be at the same time, or may not even realize that it’s a fake, since the manufacturer can send only a high-quality element of the product for analysis. And you can find a huge number of cases of fakes.

That’s why we want to understand how to recognize gold or not at home.

First, let's look at what fakes scammers can pass off as gold:

1. Tungsten. They are trying to pass off this metal as a precious material, since its density is similar to gold and is 19.3 g/cm3. The process is as follows: a blank is created from tungsten, which is then simply coated with gold. It is possible to reveal the deception if you drill a hole in the product, through which you can see what is inside.
2. Pyrite. It has a pleasant yellow shine.
3. Copper. The cheapest and easiest way to cheat. A thin gold plating is applied to the copper product.
4. Red brass. A well-known and insidious simulator of yellow metal. Upon visual inspection, even an experienced jeweler will be unable to expose such a fake, as this alloy is so similar to gold. Its composition includes: copper 90% and zinc 10%, and additional impurities make it easy to change the color of the metal.  

There are many methods for testing gold at home for authenticity, which we will consider below.

Visual inspection of jewelry

The simplest and most important way is to visually analyze the jewelry when purchasing:

1. Examine the gold item from all sides.
2. Find the location of the sample, study it, look at the combination of numbers and other symbols that indicate quality.
3. In addition to the hallmark, gold jewelry must be sealed and have a tag with information.
4. Pay attention to polishing - high-quality jewelry will shine and shine brightly. And the color of the product will be monochromatic.
5. If the jewelry contains precious stones, they must be firmly fixed.
6. The product should not have any scratches, cracks or stains. The spraying should be bright and uniform - both on the front side of the decoration and on the back.

You can try other ways to test metal for gold at home when you get home.

Identifying real gold by sound

This method of testing the quality of gold at home has been known since ancient times. In the old days, the authenticity of gold coins was often checked. In order to find out whether the product in front of you is fake, throw the product on a flat and hard floor. The sound of real gold jewelry is like crystal ringing. A clear and ringing sound will confirm the authenticity of the product.

Important! This method is suitable for you if you have absolute pitch. Another disadvantage of the method is the inability to assess the quality of gold in chains and bracelets.

Iodine is an indicator of authenticity

How to test gold at home for authenticity using iodine? It’s very simple, especially since this substance is available in every home:

1. For the experiment, arm yourself with a bottle of iodine, a cotton swab and a piece of gold.
2. It is best to first wipe its surface well; you can even rub it in an inconspicuous place with fine sandpaper.
3. Dip the stick in iodine and apply the liquid to the treated surface.
4. Wait a while.

Important! If a dark spot appears at the point of contact between gold and iodine, it means the metal is precious. No metal reacts with iodine except gold.

After the experiment, remove the stain by wiping with a napkin soaked in Coca-Cola.

Vinegar and gold

If you don't have iodine at home, you can use vinegar. How to test gold at home for authenticity using vinegar? The procedure is the same simple as in the previous case. Place the gold item in a vessel with vinegar and wait for a while.

Important! Gold does not darken or change color when exposed to acetic acid.

Magnet and lapis pencil to determine authenticity

You can test gold at home using a magnet. Gold is not attracted to it, but if the jewelry is made of another metal, it will easily stick.

Lapis pencil is an antiseptic whose active substance is silver nitrate. You can buy the product at your nearest pharmacy. What do we have to do? First, wet the gold jewelry with plain water and then run a lapis pencil over it. If the metal remains pure, the gold is real, and if a reaction has begun, it is an imitation.

Another gold item will help identify a fake

How to test gold at home using other jewelry? The most important thing is that its quality is confirmed and you are 100% confident in it. An antique family jewel would be perfect. Then we proceed as follows: take both products and draw two lines with them on a hard surface.

Important! The resulting prints should be as similar as possible to each other, but if the traces are noticeably different from each other, then it is a fake.

Ceramic coating will help identify fakes

In almost the same way, traces of gold items on ceramics can be analyzed. Pass the product over an unglazed surface and examine the print. A golden color is excellent, but gray indicates a fake from pyrite.

Important! But keep in mind that such exposure will most likely leave scratches on real gold.

Although, scratches will also help to identify low-quality imitation. Thanks to this mechanical effect, you can look under the top layer of gold plating and find out if there is another metal underneath.

The old way with bread

In the old days there was no test for gold, no iodine at hand. But there were ways to determine the authenticity of a precious metal. One of these is the crumb of black bread. How to find out whether gold is gold or not at home using such an unusual method?

The steps are as follows:

1. Combine a small amount of water with the bread crumb.
2. Knead thoroughly until you get a homogeneous paste.
3. Place the golden item in the mixture and cover it well.
4. We leave everything as is and wait for it to dry completely.
5. Break the dry product and remove the gold item

Important! If the metal does not have any traces, then the gold is of excellent quality. And if traces of oxidation appear on the product, then, unfortunately, this is a fake.

Some tips

Testing gold at home is easy. But it is better to avoid this by following these rules:

1. It is best to buy gold jewelry in specialized jewelry stores, and not in modest and obscure shops. In addition to a positive reputation, large stores will also provide you with quality documents for their products.
2. Be sure to do a visual inspection before purchasing. After the first delight at the beauty of the jewelry, switch to a closer analysis. Do not be shy and examine the product carefully.
3. Try to compare the selected product with a gold ring, the quality of which you have no doubt about. This visual analysis will also help to identify a fake.

Well, no one forbids you to bring a small magnet or lapis pencil with you to the store.

material

Now you know how to determine the authenticity of gold at home. The most important thing is that these methods are simple and convenient, and their list is quite large. You can choose the one that suits you best, or try several at once.  

Source: https://serviceyard.net/sovetyi/kak-proverit-zoloto-v-domashnih-usloviyah.html

How to distinguish gold from fake at home?

If you want to know how to distinguish gold from a fake, then this material will be useful to you. How can you identify fake gold yourself without turning to jewelers?

Firstly, you need to know the characteristics of gold as a metal, and secondly, you don’t have to run to a specialized store; you can do several steps to determine the authenticity of the metal right at home.

How to distinguish gold from fake? 10 ways

Before choosing one of the methods, you need to know about the hallmarks that are placed on gold and the features of this noble metal.

Try

Each gold item has a hallmark or hallmark. Seeing a sample is not so difficult, but if you take a magnifying glass and look through it, you can clearly see the sample number, carat weight or other special designations that indicate the authenticity of the product (for example, markings of a jewelry factory or something else).

For each piece of jewelry there are certain standards for the location of samples. Where should they be:

• Earrings - with a clasp;
• Rings - on the inner rim;
• Bracelet with clasp;
• Stud earrings - the stem of the product or clasp;
• Clock - inner side of the lid;
• Products with an English lock - lock shackle.

What do the test numbers mean? For example, 999 is the highest standard of pure gold. But the 585 sample is very common in jewelry stores and pawnshops, and it means that in addition to gold, there are other metals in it. That is, it is gold with impurities; people say it is an alloy.

Characteristics of gold

In order to identify real gold, you need to know about its characteristics and what it looks like. Guided by this knowledge, it will be easier for you to choose jewelry, because iodine, magnet or vinegar is not always at hand on the market. How to check whether it is real or not?

Sound

If you throw a ring on a table, it will make a characteristic ringing sound, similar to the ringing of crystal. Using an empty glass or glass, you can achieve the same sound by throwing a ring into it and listening to how clear the ringing is. But alas, this is difficult to do with other products.

Bite (strength test)

Gold is an inherently soft metal, which means it will definitely leave dents from your teeth. The deeper the dents, the higher the gold purity. But there is a drawback here - lead is also soft, so this method also does not provide a 100% guarantee.

Color

But we do not recommend identifying gold by color. It not only comes in different shades of yellow, but also white, red or pink.

How to check whether it is real or not? There are 10 ways to identify real gold. We do not recommend choosing one method. To be sure, choose two or three, or preferably four.

Ceramics

For this test method, we need a ceramic plate without a glazed coating (tiles are also suitable). Is there one like this on the farm? Then this option will work!

• Take a plate and decoration.
• We pass the decoration along the plate, lightly pressing the product.
• Let's look at the result. If there is a black mark left, the jewelry is fake; if it is golden, authenticity is guaranteed.

We handle gold carefully, as it can be severely scratched during testing. And don’t forget that sometimes products are plated with gold only on the outside, while inside you can find copper, brass, and other metals. So it’s better to check the products with several options.

Pharmacy pencil

But not just from a pharmacy, but lapis. It is used to stop bleeding and treat wounds. It is sold in every pharmacy.

1. Wet the gold.
2. Draw a pencil over the surface.
3. Pat dry with a towel.
4. You won’t find any traces on the gold; a pencil mark will remain on the fake.

Needle

The needle will help determine whether the product is gold or gold plated. You need to scratch the jewelry item and look for scratches. If they are present and the gilding is peeling off the item, then you are holding a fake, but if there are no scratches, then the item is real.

If you are not afraid of damaging the gold item, take a metal nail file and scratch the item. The result is the same as after the needle.

Sun

The authenticity of gold is also checked outside on a bright sunny day. But this method cannot be relied upon with 100% certainty.

1. Examine the decoration in the shade.
2. Take it out into the sun and look again. The original does not change its luster and color; other metals may change depending on the lighting.

What is the difference between gold and gilding?

The decoration consists entirely of gold alloy - both inside and outside. Gilding is only the top layer of the product. The product is made from another metal, and only gold is sprayed on top, so some of the methods described above are not suitable for determining authenticity (for example, methods for determining authenticity in the sun or using iodine).

Gilding is most easily determined using the needle or nail file method, which were described above. The top layer is easy to wash off. And if there is yellow metal inside, run it across the ceramic, it will definitely leave a black mark.

It is also important to know that gold-plated products are not hallmarked, so they are easy to distinguish. But the sample is not a guarantee of quality; it is placed on individual parts of the product. Therefore, read on, how not to be deceived by scammers in the gold market?

about how to identify real gold.

How to avoid becoming a victim of scammers?

In the modern world, some scammers manage to send only part of the jewelry, such as a clasp, for examination and confirmation. The jeweler checks the product and, of course, tests it, since the metal on the clasp meets the standards. The clasp is returned to the seller and he embeds it into a low quality counterfeit piece of jewelry.

There are certain rules on how to avoid falling into the clutches of scammers. By following them, you guarantee yourself peace of mind and the purchase of truly gold products.

• Choose your stores carefully. You should not buy gold in small shops or pawn shops. Check the quality certificates and don’t believe them if they convince you that samples and stamps are not stamped abroad. Not a single piece of jewelry can cross the border without samples and documents.
• Sample 583. This sample was set in Soviet times, that is, there are practically no fakes. Do not be alarmed if you are offered the purchase of such a product. This is a quality item, buy without hesitation.
• A copper product can be distinguished from gold using the “Strength Test” method. Copper leaves a coppery taste in the mouth. Gold has no aftertaste. Copper also oxidizes quickly and darkens over time.
• Often on the shelves we see jewelry made from an alloy of titanium and gold. In fact, there is only one name, since such jewelry does not contain a single gram of gold.
• Price. You should not think that the price of gold cannot be lower than your ideas about gold. The pricing policy varies based on the weight of the jewelry, the country of its manufacturer, the size and complexity of the product.
• The most common samples are 585 and 750. They are easy to decipher. 585 means that the product contains 58.5% gold, respectively, in jewelry 750 samples - 75% of the noble metal. But when you are in Turkey, do not believe a single sample. They put whatever sample they want there.
• Unevenness, roughness, scratches, chips, poorly printed sample, uneven color - all these are indicators of low-quality products.

It should be understood that you are unlikely to see gold in its pure form anywhere in a store or pawnshop. You shouldn’t chase 999 fineness, it’s not practical at least from the point of view that gold is a soft metal. If you wear a ring made of pure gold, you will bend it on the very first day you hold the handrail on public transport.

Source: https://originalpoddelka.ru/dragocennosti/zoloto/

How to test gold at home: effective ways

Gold mining has been carried out since 6 thousand BC. It is an extremely rare and valuable metal, which since ancient times has been able to turn a person’s head.

The ancient Egyptians compared gold to the shine of the sun and believed that the skin of the gods was golden. It was this precious metal that raised all of humanity to a new level of development and opened a new era in people’s lives - the era of metals.

For 5 thousand years, gold has been the most reliable way to save money. New nations were born, rulers were replaced, and then both of them faded into oblivion.

New currencies were established and immediately disappeared, eaten up by wars or inflation. And gold was and remains an unshakable standard of value and retains purchasing power today.

Technological progress of the 21st century creates not only advantages, but also many disadvantages for the inhabitants of our planet. And increased competition among manufacturers in the market only aggravates the situation.

The goal of many modern industries is to save money. The cheapest raw materials and means are sought, various additives and impurities are created to significantly reduce the cost of manufacturing the final product.

Such dangerous savings have already affected everything - building materials, electronics, medicines, food, and jewelry. And even one of the most noble metals, gold, could not avoid this sad fate.

In an effort to save money, people learned to make alloys by adding other metals, such as copper, to gold. Fraudsters abuse this by exceeding the amount of additives and making a complete fake. Sometimes even alloys are formed that do not contain precious metal. The only alloy considered valuable and noble is white gold.

The public has long been aware of the possible counterfeiting of gold jewelry, and many began to wonder how to test gold for authenticity.

All that glitters is not gold

We will definitely explain to you in detail how to test gold at home. But to successfully check the authenticity of a precious metal, you should familiarize yourself with its basic properties:

1. Gold is a very soft metal.
2. This noble metal does not have magnetic properties.
3. The joints of different parts of the product should differ slightly in color. This happens due to the fact that the jewelry is soldered with gold solder of the highest standard, which is much easier to melt. This will be more difficult to recognize on rings and earrings. Easier - on chains and bracelets.
4. Noble gold has absolutely no odor.
5. Clear numbers in the stamp on the product.

How can you hear?

This determination of authenticity is suitable for those with good hearing. Products made from one piece of metal can be verified by sound. To do this, the gold jewelry should be thrown onto the glass.

Noble metal will sound clear and clear; a fake will not produce such a pleasant sound for the ears. To make it easier to determine, it is better to compare the product being tested with one whose authenticity you have no doubt about. You can also use white gold in the experiment, which also has a clear sound.

Durable - not valuable

If you wear it for a long time, you may notice scratches or even chips on your gold jewelry. Most often this happens on rings and bracelets that are worn on open areas of the body. How to identify gold at home with this information?

Use the old proven method - bite the gold piece with your teeth. There will certainly be traces on the gold. Aesthetic considerations do not allow this? Then use a needle to scratch the product. You should feel the softness of the metal and see a mark where it touches the needle.

Everything fits, but isn't it enough for you? File the item being tested. If you see a darker one under the surface layer, then you can rest assured that you have been deceived.

It is noteworthy that this method was previously used in all pawn shops and on many old products you can see traces of cuts.

You may be interested in: What types of gold are there and what do they mean?

And this test could not finally convince you? Find a glass surface in your home and run gold across it. Pure and noble metal or white gold will not leave a trace, but a fake will certainly scratch the glass.

Magnetize and bathe!

Testing gold using a magnet is carried out without the slightest harm to the product. Just find a magnet at home and get straight to work! Even the slightest hint of the presence of magnetic properties of the jewelry will indicate that you have a piece of iron in your hands. Is gold magnetic? Not even copper or brass, because these metals, like gold, are not magnetic.

We put the magnet in place and take a glass of water in our hands. We put the product there. The density of gold should speed up the immersion process. The slow journey of the “test subject” should immediately arouse suspicion.

What should the sample be?

The mark on gold will help you understand whether it is gold or not. The manufacturer places a stamp on genuine gold jewelry. It includes the name of the production and the gold purity number.

Products made in Russia are branded with a woman's profile wearing a kokoshnik, followed by a sample number. Most scammers avoid this procedure, since the punishment for such a fake will be much more serious.

How to determine the authenticity of gold, based on the mark, at home? Just use a magnifying glass and carefully examine the surface of the product. Was the sample found? Examine it more carefully. The original mark is very clear and in no case can be crooked.

Remembering chemistry lessons

All noble metals, including gold, are inert. In their pure form, such metals do not react chemically with virtually anything, and they do not oxidize. How to find out the authenticity of a product using this data? Let's use iodine.

You may be interested in: Why do you dream about an engagement ring? Interpretation of sleep

Iodine is one of the rarest elements that reacts with gold. How to test gold with iodine correctly? The main condition is to be careful:

• Remove the top layer with sandpaper (if it is gold plated);
• Place an iodine speck in the wiped area;
• Wait 1 minute;
• We try to wipe off the stain with a clean cotton swab.

If the stain has not disappeared, you can rest assured that your wealth is authentic. The only real way to remove the stain is to use toothpaste. Testing gold with iodine can be very dangerous for the product, be careful!

The most reliable method of checking the authenticity of gold at home is to use an acid specifically designed for this purpose. You can find it in any jewelry store or in chemical shops.

Acid, unlike iodine, cannot react with a gold product. If there are impurities in the alloy, the color of the gold will change. A rougher fake will be covered in stains.

And the easiest way to determine real gold is acetic acid. Simply put the product in a vessel filled with vinegar and wait. Genuine gold, including white gold, should not be altered in any way.

But it’s also a good idea to protect yourself before purchasing. Please note that large items are counterfeited more often, since it is much more profitable and easier. Even a novice fraudster can easily solder resin and any foreign metals into large and heavy jewelry.

It’s better to avoid purchasing anchor chains and huge rings. A ring with many inserts should also alert you.

And if you have already made such a purchase or cannot refuse it, immediately take your product to professionals. They will test your jewelry on a device that allows you to find out in a matter of minutes the types and amounts of metals in the composition.

Source: http://VseoZolote.ru/interesno/sposoby-proverki-zolota.html