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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - When discussing investment, gold often comes as an ideal choice. Renowned as one of the most valuable commodities, owning gold jewelry might raise the question of “how to tell if gold is real?” to some of its owners.
Given its high price, the desire for assurance regarding its genuineness is only natural. But, without the proper insight of the sought-after commodity, identifying between the real and fake ones can be tricky.
7 Tips on How to Tell if Gold Is Real
Citing from Forbes and Top Vegas Buyer, this article guides you to the seven tips on how to tell if gold is real. Here they are:
1. Check for a Hallmark
On gold jewelry, a hallmark is carved as an identification of its material and the manufacturer. Therefore, the first step on how to tell if gold is real would be checking for a hallmark. The indication on this small stamp can utilize the purity scales of karats and millesimal fineness.
The purest gold in the karat system is marked as 24k. The lower the number, the less gold it contains.
Standard valid purity numbers upon the karat:
8k, 9k, 10k, 14k, 18k, 20k, 22k, and 24k.
The millesimal fineness refers to a system used to indicate the purity of platinum, gold, and silver alloys by denoting the number of parts per thousand of pure metal within the alloy. For example, an alloy containing 75% gold is marked as "750."
Standard valid purity numbers upon the millesimal fineness:
333, 375, 417, 500, 583.3, 585, 625, 750, 834, 899, 900, 916, 958, 986, 990, 995, 999, 999.9, 999.99, and 999.999.
As for Europe, the gold purity is defined by a number between.000 for the least gold containment to 1.000 for pure gold.
If your jewelry lacks a hallmark, it could mean one of three things: First, it may not contain genuine gold. Second, the hallmark might have faded due to contact with skin. Third, the piece could have been made before hallmarking became standard practice.
2. Look for a letter mark.
Another useful stamp that could be helpful to determine your gold content is known as a letter mark. It delivers direct information regarding your items’ gold concentration, which is not pure gold. Due to its small size, it is important to examine it closely.
The following list includes the most common letter marks:
- GP (Gold Plated)
- GF (Gold Filled)
- GE (Gold Electroplated)
- GEP (Gold Electroplated)
- RGP (Rolled Gold Plate)
- HGP (Heavy Gold Plated)
- HEG (Heavy Gold Electroplated)
If your gold items have any of these letter marks, it can be ensured that they don’t contain pure gold.
3. Do Vinegar Test
Dropping a decent amount of vinegar can help you answer the question of “how to tell if gold is real?” Its acid content will change the colors of those that are not authentic.
4. Drop the item to water.
Prepare a container of bowl or cup for this test. Then, fill it with water and drop your gold item into it. Real gold will sink due to its high density, and fake gold will float between the surface and the middle of the water.
5. Test with a Magnet
Testing your gold with a magnet can be another way to tell if gold is real. The yellow metal is not magnetic. Therefore, when you put a magnet near it and a reaction is seen, then your jewelry is not real gold. However, this method is not fully foolproof, as gold-plated metals can also be non-magnetic, just like pure gold.
6. Rub the item on your skin.
Rubbing your gold jewelry onto your hand’s skin is another useful method to test your gold jewelry's authenticity. Stary by holding the item between your hands until you begin to sweat. Then, gently rub it back and forth on your skin. If you notice a color change, it indicates that the item is likely fake gold.
7. Check for Discoloration After Use
A real gold does not leave any discoloration, even with everyday use. But gold-plated jewelry may show slight to noticeable color changes over time. Check the edges of your gold jewelry for any signs of discoloration. If you notice any, it's likely that your jewelry is not authentic.
By following these tips, the question of “how to tell if gold is real” will be answered in a short time. It is recommended to combine some of the methods to give you a more accurate assessment of whether your gold is real.
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