How to check gold or counterfeit at home - Metals and their processing

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:

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:
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.
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

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plFDk8mPr3w

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 check whether a ring is gold or not: 7 methods for checking gold

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Reading time: 7 min.

The demand for jewelry made from gold continues to grow steadily every year. Due to the impressive cost of products made from this metal, they are often counterfeited, and the likelihood of purchasing a product of poor quality is quite high. Many people often encounter situations throughout their lives when they need to know the quality of a gold accessory.

How to easily and quickly check a gold ring at home?

You can independently find out the quality of such a product by slightly filing it with a file . If a darker layer is visible under the shiny light layer, it is a fake.

People with sensitive ears can try to determine the authenticity of gold jewelry by sound. It is recommended to throw the accessory onto a hard glass surface and listen carefully to the sound. Real gold sounds clear and clear (the sound resembles crystal). The fakes make a clanging sound. It is advisable to compare the sound of a new product with an existing one, the quality of which cannot be doubted.

7 Methods for Testing Gold

There are several simple and repeatedly proven methods by which you can determine the quality of gold jewelry. For this purpose, you can use one of the options below.

Using a magnet

To check jewelry in this way, you need to bring a strong magnet to it. If the jewelry contains a significant amount of iron impurities, it will be attracted to the magnet. But this method cannot be called reliable.

If the jewelry does not stick to the magnet, this does not mean that it is 100% gold. Fraudsters often use aluminum, bronze and copper, which are not magnetic, when making counterfeits.

For softness

One of the main properties of this metal is softness. You can scratch the accessory from the inside with pressure using a pin or other sharp object. A mark will remain on the noble metal. In some cases, it may be slightly bitten by the teeth. This way the softness of the product will be felt better and a dent from the bite will appear on it.

Reference! Pure gold is a very soft metal, not particularly resistant to wear and external influences, so jewelry is usually made from an equally beautiful, but much more durable alloy.

If you carefully examine the joints of the jewelry, the color of the metal in these areas will be slightly different (it will be brighter). This is explained by the fact that jewelry is soldered with gold solder, which has a higher standard, because it melts more easily. This sign indicates that the gold is real.

By smell

To determine the quality of a gold accessory, you can smell it. If the smell of metal is clearly felt, it is a fake. High-quality gold products have no odor, unlike, for example, silver, which has a characteristic metallic odor.

It is always necessary to carefully consider the mark. Gold jewelry must be affixed with a corresponding stamp indicating the manufacturer and gold purity in digital terms.

In accordance with generally accepted requirements, the sample is placed in the following places:

on rings - inside the jewelry (on rings with a stone or with figured additions, the sample is usually placed in the middle);
on stud earrings - on a clasp or directly on the stem;
on earrings with an English lock - on the outer or inner side of the bow;
on bracelets and chains - mainly with a clasp;
on a gold watch - directly from the inside of the dial itself (if both the dial and the strap are made of gold, the hallmark is placed inside the clasp).

Reference! The higher the purity, the more gold the product contains.

In all the variety of methods for determining the quality of gold products, the two options below are considered to be the best.

Vinegar and iodine

Testing a gold item with vinegar is one of the most common and fastest methods. To do this, the product must be immersed in a container with vinegar for a short time (5 minutes). If the gold item darkens as a result, this is a sign of a fake.

Iodine is considered to be the best marker for gold. When a drop of iodine is applied to real gold, a chemical reaction occurs between them and a stain is formed. Apart from gold, no metal reacts with iodine. Sometimes to check it is necessary to thoroughly wipe the surface of a product made of such metal.

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Remove the stain resulting from such a check

Source: https://tkaner.com/aksessuary/koltso/kak-proverit-koltso-zolotoe-ili-net/

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.

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.

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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.

Visual inspection

Before checking the item, you should inspect it carefully.

Precious metals must be marked with the hallmark of the assay office indicating the fineness of the metal. Similar rules apply everywhere; the hallmark system may differ, for example, the sign 14k will mean that we have a 14-karat gold alloy, which corresponds to 585 hallmark in the metric system.

A prerequisite is that any sample must be clear and legible. The low quality of the print, as well as its absence, gives reason to suspect a fake.

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:

When gold falls, it will make a high, clear ringing sound.

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.

Conclusion

To summarize, I would like to remind you once again that the above methods will help identify obvious fakes, but will not protect you from low-quality gold alloy - this also happens. Therefore, once a dubious item has fallen into your hands and if there is no sample on it, turn to professionals for help.

Check our website more often in search of new useful knowledge, share the information you receive with your friends, and I can’t wait to start a new exciting topic.

Source: https://zhazhdazolota.ru/dragotsennosti/kak-proverit-v-domashnih-usloviyah

Good advice on how to distinguish gold from fake

Today you can find a lot of fake jewelry. How to distinguish gold from fake so as not to become a victim of scammers? There are many effective ways. The most reliable method is to check with a specialist. If he is not nearby, then there are some useful tips from jewelers.

Ways to recognize fake jewelry

First you need to consider the jewelry. It must have a special marking that is responsible for the authenticity of the gold. The hallmark or carat weight must be stamped. To facilitate inspection, it is advisable to use a magnifying glass. It is not always possible to distinguish the mark on antique metal. In the modern world, they have learned how to test gold on fake gold, so this method is not always successful.

Over time, the gold plating wears off. You need to look at the edges of the product. If other metal is visible in the areas of wear, the item is not entirely made of gold.

Checking the product for bite

Previously, films were often shown where gold coins were tested for their “tooth”. And for good reason. After all, this way you can check not only coins, but also gold jewelry. For example, a ring or earring. The product must be pressed with your teeth. Now look at him. Real gold will leave teeth marks. The deeper the bite, the higher the test. However, we must not forget that lead is very soft, so it will also leave traces.

Ceramic check

Fake gold is easy to detect using this method. This test must be carried out very carefully as it is easily scratched. To do this, you will need an unglazed ceramic plate, that is, not covered with anything. Swipe the gold over it with light pressure. What is visible? The gold stripe is a natural product, the black stripe is a fake decoration.

Magnetic check

First you need to purchase a magnet. The one that hangs on the refrigerator is very soft and is not suitable for dough. The magnet must be a real, heavy one that interacts with the metal. Gold is never attracted.

Therefore, feel free to bring the jewelry to the magnet. If she is attracted, then you are holding a real fake. There are cases when a magnetically passive component is added to a product. Then you can confuse gold with a fake.

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How to distinguish gold in such cases? Try the following method.

Application of nitric acid

Nitric acid will help identify fake gold from real gold. To do this, place the product in a metal container without stains. Next, you need to drop nitric acid from a pipette onto the product. If the gold changes color and becomes greenish, then you are conducting an experiment with ordinary metal. The gilded product takes on a milky hue. If the gold is real, then no reaction will take place.

Sound test

If you take a gold item and throw it onto the surface of the table, then the real metal will ring loudly, like crystal. For such an experience, rings, earrings, but not long jewelry (chains, bracelets) are suitable.

Vinegar test

Pour some vinegar into the container and place the decoration there. Nothing bad will happen to real gold, but fake gold will darken in two minutes.

Iodine test

Iodine is a very good test for the authenticity of jewelry. To do this, you only need to apply one drop to the inside of the product. Gold will remain unchanged. The fake decoration will darken. It can turn either light gray or black.

Any chemical testing is possible only on the surface of the jewelry. The inside is checked when a person is ready to destroy the product.

You can also ask experts how to distinguish gold from a fake, who will help you quickly and using several ways to determine whether the jewelry is real. Gilding is almost real metal.

Determining gold plating

Many consumers are interested in: “how to distinguish gold from gilding?” With the slightest knowledge this is not difficult to do. Usually gold plating is not tested. The gold alloy will not be able to lie on top of the metal. Only real noble metal will fit.

If you see a product with hallmarks: 585, 750, 350, 500 - this is gold with added impurities. Pure precious metal can have only one hallmark - 999.

If gold foil was used, then they can use a different test than those used on real metal.

Important! A sample does not always guarantee the authenticity of a product. Sometimes small scratches can be seen. Often this means that the item is not entirely gold, but only a clasp on or near the item. Everything else may turn out to be gold.

To check the jewelry yourself, you can lightly scrape the product in an inconspicuous area. The gilding will come off slightly, but the gold will remain unchanged.

A lapis pencil is also suitable for checking. It is sold in any pharmacy. The scraping area must be moistened with water and drawn over it with a pencil. Any metal other than gold will darken.

A simple experiment can be done to test gold. Turn on the burner and heat the product over it (300-400 degrees). Then quickly throw it into cold water. Gold will not change, but stains will appear on other metals.

You should never purchase gold from dubious establishments and stores. These should be specialized jewelry departments, where there are quality certificates and specialists work. After all, some unscrupulous sellers refer to the fact that samples are not taken abroad. You can't believe this. Any import of gold jewelry is not permitted without a stamp and relevant documents.

Sometimes you come across products that have the 583rd mark on them. Many people don't know about it. These jewelry were made in Soviet times and fakes of such products are extremely rare. Therefore, if you come across a 583 sample, do not be alarmed.

Recognizing copper

The famous scientist Aristotle believed that the best way to distinguish copper from real gold is to taste both. If you drink water from a metal cup that contains copper, it will taste metallic. The golden cup does not give off any taste.

Copper tends to oxidize when interacting with oxygen, that is, in air. Therefore, unlike gold, it will darken over time.

Imitation gold

A variety of alloys are used for fake gold jewelry.

Aluminum bronze, which resembles gold in color. This alloy consists of 90% copper and 10% aluminum.

Aluminum bronze coin.

Belgica is an alloy similar to platinum. It contains about 74% iron, approximately 16% chromium, and almost 9% nickel.

Mosaic gold, which includes almost 70% copper and 30% zinc. Gives a hint of native gold.

Tompak - this alloy is very similar to real gold. It is often brought by tourists from Turkey, Israel or China. If you don’t know how to distinguish gold, it’s better not to buy it in these countries.

There are a huge number of such alloys. Thanks to such materials, they learned to imitate real gold. Most often it is transported through smuggling. Counterfeiting gold is a very common phenomenon. Try not to fall into the “trap”.

How to avoid fraud?

To avoid buying a fake, you need to follow simple rules.

You should not buy gold jewelry from traders in markets or dubious stalls where there are no appropriate documents. Sellers very often offer fakes.

Don't trust your intuition, because it can fail you at the most inopportune moment. Don’t think that a product is too cheap - this does not mean that it is of high quality. Gold must be hallmarked, even if it is made to order.

Do not buy jewelry that contains an alloy of titanium and gold. In appearance they resemble 585 gold, but most likely they do not contain precious metal.

If a product has a hallmark or a tag hanging on it, this does not guarantee the yellow metal content. A poorly versed consumer will not always be able to distinguish a fake even with the help of numerous experiments.

If a buyer knows the real price of a product and suddenly sees the same thing, but cheaper, this does not always mean that it is a fake. It is necessary to pay attention not only to external data, but also to size, weight and manufacturer. It is from this data that prices vary. You can also end up with a high-quality fake, which is extremely difficult to distinguish from real precious metal.

Every jewelry professional has special equipment that can be used to determine the quality and price of the metal. Of course, the easiest way to find out how to distinguish gold from copper, for example, is advice from a professional. Even if the service is paid, the person will be confident in the authenticity of the jewelry.

Source: http://golden-inform.ru/prochee/kak-otlichit-zoloto-ot-poddelki/

How to test gold for authenticity at home

Testing gold for authenticity is a very pressing issue, since gold jewelry is the most popular and always relevant gift. Very often, various gold objects become family heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation.

However, now there are more and more manufacturers and resellers of gold jewelry, and when buying jewelry, there is a chance of stumbling upon a fake.

To avoid such a fate, we recommend that you objectively evaluate several of the most popular options for determining the authenticity of gold items.

Testing gold by sound

This is a rather ancient way of testing gold jewelry, according to which it is necessary to throw a gold product onto a stone or similar surface, which should result in a clear, ringing sound that is pleasant to the ear.

The advantages of this method are: simplicity, instant results, relative safety for your jewelry.

However, it has a number of significant disadvantages: firstly, to conduct this experiment you must have a good ear for music, and secondly, only ring-type products are suitable for testing, that is, checking a chain or bracelet is unlikely to be successful.

Testing gold using the Archimedes method

Surely everyone knows the legend about Archimedes and the weighing of gold by immersion in water and calculation using the displaced volume of water. Yes, it’s quite funny to remember the school knowledge of physics, it finally came in handy.

The advantages of this method: simplicity, high accuracy of the result. Significant disadvantages are the complexity of weighing and calculations; this method is only suitable for massive products if you want to obtain accurate data.

Watch the video on how to determine the authenticity of gold using the Archimedes method:

Checking gold embossing

This method has various variations. Some argue that it is necessary to apply a scratch to gold; real metal, due to its softness, will acquire a scratch that will not differ in color or shine. Others insist on the need to hold a gold piece against ceramic, a golden mark should appear, and there should be no visible differences in color and shine on the jewelry itself.

Another option can be seen in old films or heard about in stories. It consists of checking the tooth - on the gold product, again, due to its softness, a bite mark remains. But you shouldn’t overdo it; if you have a fake in your hands, there is a danger of breaking a tooth.

Both options are similar and are based on determining the authenticity of a precious material by physical impact. The advantages of the method: simplicity, visible results, but the disadvantages are more than significant - there is a possibility of serious damage to the product if the actions are not performed carefully.

We advise you to carry out scratches either on the outside or on the least noticeable side. And be extremely careful!

Testing gold by reaction to chemicals

The essence of this method is to identify the natural reaction of both gold and other metals that are used to make counterfeits to such chemicals as: iodine, vinegar, acids (each sample of gold or silver has its own) and others.

Vinegar and iodine

In the case of vinegar, everything is quite simple - put your jewelry in a container with vinegar and watch its reaction. If it is a fake, then the metals contained in it will oxidize, which has characteristic signs, but gold will not react to vinegar.

In the case of iodine, everything is exactly the opposite. It will leave stains that cannot be washed off with water on a real gold item, which will not happen if the jewelry is made of copper and brass.

You can remove the formed stain with toothpaste, but this will erase part of the finish, with vinegar essence, but working with it is dangerous due to burns or hyposulfite. If you are unable to clean your jewelry, your only option is to take it to a professional for cleaning.

But this method is not suitable for high-grade gold - it is unlikely to change color.

Special reagents

Testing gold with reagents in the video:

Checking gold with a magnet

Everyone knows from school that gold is not attracted to a magnet. However, iron that may contain a fake may well be drawn to magnetized objects. But brass and copper are also not magnetic, so this method cannot be the only basis for confirming the authenticity of this noble metal. The advantages of the method are ease of execution, the disadvantages are unreliability, unreliability.

External inspection - visual qualities of gold

A fairly simple and effective way to check gold for authenticity at home is to examine it externally. To know how gold of different grades should look correctly, you need to know some of its characteristics. And it will be easier to check gold with a simple glance.

Let's try to understand the generally accepted classifications of this precious metal. Let's start with the definition of the concept of “sample”. Fineness is the name given to the grade of gold, which is determined by the ratio of gold itself and other mixed metals - meth, particles of silver, platinum, nickel, brass.

At the international level, there are 7 sample numbers (999;958;750;585;583;500;375), but in Germany the 333rd sample is also considered accepted. The highest is 999 – it contains 999 g of pure gold per 1 kg. It is advisable to use and store such alloys in financial structures, because it is too soft for making jewelry.

The most common is 585 or 583.

The ratio of alloy metals in percentage terms makes it possible to classify the noble metal according to color into the following categories: White is characterized by the presence of a high percentage of platinum, which makes it very durable and therefore indispensable in jewelry. Yellow is the gold we are used to, its quality and color depend on the amount of copper. Red is “economical gold”, it has the highest percentage of copper, it was used back in Kievan Rus, but has long given way to yellow gold. Pink is gold with equal proportions of copper and silver, even with a slightly higher percentage of silver, which gives it a pinkish tint and makes it very popular among jewelry makers. To confirm the relevance of a more in-depth study of methods for testing gold for authenticity at home, we recommend watching the video How modern fraudsters counterfeit gold. Then you will think about a deeper study of the question of how to reliably test gold for authenticity.

Source: https://blogokop.com/kak-proverit-zoloto-na-podlinnost-v-domashnix-usloviyax.html

How to test gold for authenticity at home. 6 ways!

I think that sooner or later a treasure hunter will need to check gold for authenticity at home, where there are no special reagents and instruments. Naturally, jewelers can not only determine the authenticity, but also find out the sample of the precious metal.

Gold is rarely given to us, but if a treasure hunter finds it, it will be a very significant find! And if the item looks like gold or you have doubts when buying jewelry or jewelry secondhand, or even coins, then this article will be useful!

Method 1, “Magnetic”

The simplest fakes are made from the cheapest metals, such as steel. Or the alloy contains a high percentage of ferromagnetic metal impurities. We take a magnet, preferably a more powerful one, and apply it to the product being tested. If it sticks, bad luck. For example, a gold ring may just be iron, simply coated with a thin layer of gold. This method will allow you to distinguish crude fakes from originals or more cunning fakes.

Method 2, “Iodine”

To check the authenticity of a gold item using the following method, you can take iodine. To do this, rub part of the product on a cloth and apply a drop of iodine to it and wait a while. Now you can wash off or wipe off the iodine solution. If there is a dark spot where the drop used to be, then this is a fake! If there is absolutely nothing - the original noble metal.

Method 3, “Vinegar”

Also a chemical method of determining a metal using a reaction. But this time it is not iodine that will react with our gold product, but vinegar. You should take a small jar, pour a solution of acetic acid into it and place gold in it. If it has darkened over time, then it is not gold, and if it has not changed color, it also shines with a noble yellow color - the original!

Method 4, “Lapis”

To test gold using this method, you need to go to the pharmacy and buy a lapis pencil there. Usually, it is used for wounds, sort of to stop bleeding. But we will test the gold for them! We wet our gold (or not) decoration, after which we draw a line, a daw, a dot on the wetted surface with a lapis pencil - it all depends on your imagination

Source: http://urklad.ru/yuvelirny-e-dela/kak-proverit-zoloto-na-podlinnost-v-domashnih-usloviyah-6-sposobov/

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.

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.

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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:

Weigh the product (m).

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).

Carry out the calculation using the formula - p = m / v.

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:

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.

Depending on the gold purity, a drop of a certain acid is added.

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

How to distinguish gilding from gold? Jewelers' advice

Not everyone has the professional sense of a jeweler, capable of recognizing a fake among gold jewelry at first glance. However, this does not mean that you should rely only on your luck or the integrity of the sellers. There are several ways to distinguish gold from gilding without the involvement of experts and laboratory tests.

Gilding and methods of applying it

Gold plating is considered to be a layer of several microns on a piece of jewelry made of silver or other metal. Visually, such objects do not differ from gold ones, which is what many designers, artists and jewelry sellers use. With the help of gilding you can create unique objects of art and architectural designs. They even began to use it in cosmetology.

The further use of the jewelry will depend on the thickness of the gilded layer. For example, a 0.05 mm gold coating will withstand up to six months of active wear, after which it will begin to peel off. Therefore, self-respecting jewelry companies strive not to make their goods cheaper, but to make them of high quality, covering objects with a layer of gold plating from 0.1 mm.

There are several ways to gild products. The choice of each of them depends on the type of metal being coated and the professionalism of the craftsman.

Fire or mercury. An ancient method often used in gilding church domes. It was based on the use of a mixture of mercury, so the method was dangerous to health and even life. Because of this, they stopped using it.

Oil-based or Mordan gilding. It is used for both internal and external work. Mordan can be purchased in specialized online stores.

Clay based. Used mainly for interior design and not for decoration. Previously, coating mixtures were made from specially selected components. Now you can find ready-made formulations on sale

Water-synthetic. For this method of gilding, mixtures based on water are used. The finished product is glossy and does not require final polishing.

Gilding on jewelry is done in a modern way - galvanic. In this case, only high-quality gold is often used. The gilded layer lasts from 3 months to a year, depending on the frequency and accuracy of wear.

Methods for determining the authenticity of gold products

All the differences between gold and gilding lie in the composition of the products, because... visually it is difficult to immediately determine who is who. Don't pay attention only to the price. Some sellers, on the contrary, may overestimate it in order to confuse an uninformed buyer. If you have doubts about the authenticity of the purchased jewelry, you can carry out a number of activities and find out whether you were deceived or not.

Visual inspection

You can perform a similar verification method immediately before purchasing. Having carefully examined the gold jewelry, there should be no abrasions, chips, or blurred colors on it. A clearly visible sample must also be present. The precious metal has a characteristic cold shine and uniform color. No dark stains or stripes are allowed.

The easiest way to figure out whether there is gold in front of you or not is to test it with light and shadow. The precious metal shines equally in the shade and in the sun. If under the rays of the sun the jewel sparkled with new colors, but in the shadow it looked faded and unattractive, then it is a fake.

Real gold is stamped with hallmark data.

Marking

The higher the grade indicated on the jewelry, the more expensive it is. However, it should be remembered that pure gold is extremely rarely found in stores. The most popular samples are 585 and 750. Silver, copper and other less valuable impurities are mixed into the base metal. Thus, the strength of the alloy is achieved and the ability to create jewelry of various shapes and sizes from it.

Real gold is marked with information about the fineness, manufacturer, price per gram and for the entire piece of jewelry. In addition, the Quality Control Department stamp must be present.

No matter how much one would like to believe that the presence of a sample is a guarantee of the authenticity of the product, this is not always the case. The fact is that bracelets, chains and earrings have clasps. Unscrupulous suppliers most often send these parts for testing and, having received a positive result, put the gold part on a cheap gold-plated piece of jewelry.

Determining the authenticity of gold using vinegar

Vinegar

Another quick and affordable way to distinguish real gold from other metals is to use vinegar. Everyone probably has acid at home, so testing for originality is not difficult.

Pure vinegar is poured into any suitable container and the product is dipped into it. Wait 2 to 4 minutes. If the surface does not darken during this time, then the jewelry is indeed made of precious metal. But obvious darkening indicates that you were given gold plating. After the experiment, the product is washed with clean water and dried with a soft towel.

Determining the authenticity of gold using iodine

Iodine

Using iodine, you can quickly and accurately determine gold. To do this, you will need a bottle of liquid, a cotton swab and toothpaste.

One end of a cotton swab is dipped in iodine and a dot is placed in any less visible place of the product being tested.

If after a few minutes the iodine dot remains the same dark, you have gold. If the speck has acquired a light, milky hue, then it is anything but a precious metal.

After the test, the stain should be wiped off with toothpaste. A small amount is applied to the iodine point and wait 5 minutes.

Then gently rub your finger over the surface and after no traces of iodine remain, the jewelry is washed and wiped.

It is advisable to work with iodine with gloves and on a covered surface, otherwise the spilled liquid will be quickly absorbed and will be quite difficult to get rid of.

Needle test

A needle or other sharp object will be a great help in determining the authenticity of jewelry. You need to make scratches in an inconspicuous area. After such manipulations, the gilded layer will immediately peel off, and not a trace will remain on pure gold.

Selection criteria and recommendations for purchasing

The first thing you should know when going to a store to buy gold jewelry is that it must be reputable and certified. It is highly not recommended to buy such products in small shops, kiosks, and especially on the Internet on dubious sites.

You don’t need to trust your intuition and especially chase the cheapest. A suspiciously low price for jewelry supposedly made of gold should be the first signal that it is a fake. All high-quality jewelry made of precious metal must be hallmarked, even if it was made to order.

If you know a jeweler, it is better to ask him to check the authenticity of the selected product. You can use a paid gold determination service. Now they are provided in any specialized stores, workshops and even pawn shops.

Source: https://1nerudnyi.ru/kak-otlichit-pozolotu-ot-zolota-01/

Ways to test gold at home

Before you start checking, you need to understand that when making jewelry in its pure form, gold is never used; one way or another, you are dealing with an alloy of metals. This is where the concept of “sample”, expressed by a number, arises. The alloys are created by mixing with less expensive silver, copper and nickel. However, substitutes for gold are also known that are very similar to it.

Counterfeits can be made from silver, copper and brass, bronze and aluminum or tin, covering the product with gold plating. All this suggests that it is often difficult to find out where the real jewelry is and where it is just a fake, and to be completely sure you need to carry out professional tests using instruments.

But let's try to do everything possible to test gold at home.

Iodine authentication

This method is one of the most effective, because no other metals except gold react with iodine.

Clean the surface of the product well using thick, for example, denim or fine sandpaper or a file;

Apply iodine to this area using a cotton swab;

wait a while, monitoring the reaction of the metal.

the surface to darken where the iodine was applied - in this case, you are looking at high-grade gold. If the surface becomes lighter and the iodine begins to turn white and evaporate, alas, it is a fake.

Source: http://rubliplus.com/dengi-v-bytu/11-sposobov-kak-proverit-zoloto-v-domashnih-usloviyah.html

How to test gold at home for authenticity

The question of how to test gold at home may arise when purchasing jewelry online, by hand, or at non-specialized retail outlets, especially abroad.

When buying a gold product in official stores, you must ask the manager for certificates and documents for the goods. If doubts remain, you can check the authenticity of gold using home remedies, without resorting to complex examinations.

The household method may not allow you to distinguish white gold from silver; in such cases, the jewelry should be submitted for laboratory testing.

Visual inspection

Before checking gold for authenticity, you should carefully inspect the product. Any jewelry product is marked with a hallmark indicating the percentage of precious metal and the manufacturer's mark (the initial letter of the manufacturer). The sample should have clear outlines; numbers and letters can be easily read when magnified. The mark is applied parallel to the edges.

The bulk of jewelry in Russia is produced in 585 standard. Products of 750 standard and higher are considered elite and have a high price. A budget option is 375 standard products. Products with a lower content of precious metal are costume jewelry.

A gold chain or gold ring, inherited from a grandmother, is marked with 583 hallmark - this was the standard that existed in the USSR.

The newly purchased product is supplied with a thick paper label with a seal. The label indicates the weight, purity, name and location of the manufacturer. You need to know how to test gold at home for authenticity. There are several signs:

Processing quality. The surface must be polished to a shine, without cracks or chips.

Homogeneous uniform shine over the entire area.

Workmanship. A counterfeit product may have traces of rough processing and soldering; the stone (if present) is not held firmly.

Checking with available chemicals

To understand whether you purchased gold or not, you need to carefully examine the product. After a visual inspection of the product, you can check for authenticity at home using available chemicals. It is not recommended to use the ancient method of testing “to the point”, since it is possible to distinguish gold from a fake in this way only in the most primitive cases, without even taking into account the aesthetic component of such a test. The following methods are common:

Reaction with iodine. Real gold reacts chemically with iodine, causing the metal to darken. To distinguish gold from a fake at home, just drop the medicine on the product or moisten the surface with a cotton swab. Darkening of the surface of the jewelry at the point of contact with iodine will serve as evidence of the presence of gold in the object being tested. The interaction of gold with iodine causes persistent darkening of the metal, which can be removed with a 30% solution of sodium hyposulfite (a medicine sold freely in pharmacies).

Acetic acid. The reaction with acetic acid is a proven way to determine gold at home. The product is placed in a 70% solution for 5 minutes. If the surface darkens or another reaction begins (even the release of gases), then you have a fake jewelry. Gold does not react with vinegar. Impurities contained in manufactured products will also not give a reaction in standard tests. If the counterfeit contains precious metal in small quantities, the reaction will occur, but the darkening will be uneven or in a separate part. Jewelry with standard hallmark will not change. After the experiment, do not forget to rinse the product with water, avoiding getting vinegar on exposed skin. Vinegar can have a negative effect on silver and pearls, so products with such inclusions should not be tested in this way.

Reaction with silver nitrate. Silver nitrate reacts with any metal except gold. The drug is known in pharmacies as lapis pencil. To test, the jewelry must be moistened with water and the substance applied to its surface. Gold will not react to contact with silver nitrate, other metals will change color (darken). Testing low-grade gold with a lapis pencil is not advisable; a reaction may occur due to the high content of impurities in the product.

To check gold for authenticity at home and not make a mistake, you can watch a video on this topic.

Other home testing methods

Checking gold for authenticity at home can be done in several ways:

Magnet check. Crude fakes are made by applying gold plating to a steel base. In this case, the product will become magnetized.

You can determine the authenticity of gold at home using another gold product that is beyond doubt. To do this, you need to make scratches on a hard surface with the gold product and the object being tested. There should be no difference in the traces left. It is possible to scratch the gold piece and the test sample with the same hard object. The tracks must be identical.

The test product must be used to scratch the ceramic tile. The precious metal will leave a characteristic golden color, in other cases the band will be dark.

A simple test can be done using rye bread. The crumb should be soaked in water to a homogeneous semi-liquid state, and the resulting mass should be applied to the product being tested. After drying, the fake will show signs of oxidation.

People with sensitive hearing can be recommended to test the sound of gold products. The easiest way to check the quality of rings is this way. You need to throw the decoration from a small height onto the glass surface. Precious metal will emit a melodious crystal ringing, fake products will clang.

Polished gold looks the same in the sun and in the shade. If the sample being tested shines in the light but fades in the dark, it is a fake.

A deep scratch should be applied to the product being tested with a hard object (for example, a diamond glass cutter). If metal of a different color is found under the scratch, then the product was made by gold plating.

Determining the authenticity of jewelry in everyday conditions, at best, shows the presence of precious metal, but does not give an idea of the sample and the amount of impurities. An accurate conclusion can only be obtained in laboratory conditions.

Source: https://ToZoloto.ru/vtorichnyj-rynok/kak-proverit-zoloto-v-domashnih-usloviyah.html

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