Gold has been one of the most valued and most valuable metals, not only today, but almost since the beginning of humanity. It is very popular to buy gold for investment purposes, as well as to use gold as a jewellery. Considering that the price in our country is increasing day by day, we are sure that the biggest nightmare of many people is to encounter fake gold.
So how to spot fake gold? Of course, someone who is a master of the business often realizes whether the gold is fake when he sees it, but if you say that we have gold once in forty years, you are right if you say how should we know. Fortunately, there are simple ways to spot fake gold that you can do yourself at home. Let’s take a closer look at how to detect fake gold and see the details of the methods you can apply.
How to spot fake gold? Here are some simple test methods you can do yourself at home:
- Method #1: See if it sinks in water.
- Method #2: Drip vinegar on it.
- Method #3: Examine color distortions.
- Method #4: Look at where it touches your skin.
- Method #5: Use a strong magnet.
- Method #6: Rub on ceramic.
- Method #7: Check for manufacturer markings.
- Method #8: Perform a density test.
- Method #9: Use the nitric acid test.
Method #1: See if it sinks in water:
The easiest way to tell if a gold is fake is to check if it has sunk in water. Take a large bowl of warm water and put the bottom in it. If it sinks to the bottom, it is real gold because gold is a dense metal. Fake gold, on the other hand, is mostly made of light material, so it floats in water. The fact that it does not tarnish or rust after getting wet will also indicate that it is real gold. Of course, this test may not always give accurate results according to the gold density.
Method #2: Drip vinegar on it:
After the chemical processes used to make fake gold, the color of the metal will deteriorate when it interacts with an acidic substance such as vinegar. Therefore, place the gold on a flat surface and drip a drop of vinegar on it. If there is no change in color after 15 minutes, gold is real. Semi-precious stones, if present on the object, can be affected by vinegar, so you should be careful when dripping the vinegar.
Method #3: Examine color distortions:
Fake gold is generally gold plated. Of course, the coating wears off over time, revealing the real metal underneath. Therefore, if you have such an object, check the places where it is worn. If you see discoloration, the gold is fake because real gold does not experience this type of discoloration. Of course, do not forget that non-24 carat gold may tarnish.
Method #4: Look where it touches your skin:
Gold objects used as jewelry interact with natural components such as sweat and oil as they touch our skin. As a result of this interaction, if it leaves traces of different colors on the points it touches on our skin, you may be suspicious. For example, silver leaves a black trace and copper leaves a green trace. Of course, the result is not certain, as jewelry made of gold is not made of 100 percent gold.
Method #5: Use a strong magnet:
You cannot use an ordinary magnet for this test, you must use a strong neodymium magnet that you can easily buy. If it is pulled when you hold the magnet under it, it is not real gold. However, this test may not always give accurate results because sometimes fake gold may be manufactured using stainless steel and similar non-magnetic metals. In addition, it should not be forgotten that magnetic metal is used in some gold items.
Method #6: Rub on ceramic:
It is extremely important that you use an unglazed ceramic surface, as a ceramic that has undergone glazing and similar processes will not give healthy results. Take the gold and rub it on the ceramic. If the color is black, the gold is fake, real gold leaves a trace in its own color. Of course, it should not be forgotten that this test will do some damage to the bottom.
Method #7: Check for manufacturer markings:
There are some markings on every gold product that must be added by the manufacturers. According to the rating system, you can see a number between 1 – 999 or 0K – 24K. For example, if you see the number 475, it means that the product is 47.5 percent gold. It can write GP for gold plated products, GF for gold filled products, and GEP for gold electroplated products. Of course, markings may vary by product.
Method #8: Perform a density test:
Although it is a somewhat laborious process, you can get accurate results. Measure the weight of the gold in grams, drop the gold into a water cylinder where you can see its size and see how much it adds up. Then divide the gold weight by the amount of water increase. Let’s say 38 grams of gold creates a 2 ml increase in water, its density is about 19 g/mL. Although it varies, the density of 14 carat gold is on average 12.9 – 13.6 g/mL.
Method #9: Use the nitric acid test:
Of course, this is not a method that you can apply at home by yourself, but if you say that I like this job, you can do it often, you can buy yourself a nitric acid test kit. After you make a small scratch on the bottom, you drop a drop of acid on it and wait a bit. You can easily see how many carats the gold has according to the color that comes out by rubbing it on the stone in the kit.
It’s easy to get scammed while buying gold:
Whether for investment or to use as jewelry, gold has been one of the most popular metals for thousands of years. As such, master swindlers of this business emerge. The methods we have described show whether a gold is fake or not, but let us remind you that you must have it tested by a jeweler to get the healthiest result.
When buying gold, shop from places you trust. If there is, be sure to see the certificate of the product you bought. Fake gold is brighter, changes color in light, lighter. Real gold does not change color under light and does not bend. Of course, we ask you to always be skeptical of products sold below market price.
Answering the question of how to spot fake gold, we talked about simple test methods that you can apply yourself at home. What we describe is for informational purposes only. A trained, licensed jeweler with the necessary documents will make the best decision about whether a gold is fake or not.
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