Purchasing gold jewelry is not as easy as buying luxurious watches. You really must be knowledgeable on how to distinguish real gold from cheap gold. It is known that the important factor in buying gold relies upon its karat. 24 karat is known to be made up of 100% pure gold. Most jewelry is 14 Kt or 58.5% gold.
So, if you found a gold necklace or other piece of jewelry, how can you tell if it is worth the price? Sometimes, you become mesmerized with its beauty and you are willing to buy it at any cost. Yet, this gold is expensive and of course, you want to be sure that you are getting what you have paid for. Here’s how to determine if an item is made of real gold.
Testing Gold
- First, you may want to review its weight in grams since gold is better if it is heavier. This can also be sometimes much inexpensive than buying lighter ones.
- Second is to check the karat markings, since all real gold are mark with its percentage of purity, the percentage begins to 10 to 24 karat gold.
- Next, take a magnet test. If the magnet was unable to pull the gold then it means that you are on a reliable distributor.
- Fourth will be the perfume test. It has been said that spraying a perfume on a gold jewelry would reveal its authenticity if it does not fade.
- When worn, fake gold tends to leave green marks on the skin and eventually tarnish.
- The final review for the product is the scratch test. This will reveal a fake or plated nugget just by scratching it.
The company’s reputation is also an important thing to consider in buying gold jewelry. This is to ensure you that you have somewhere to go if you have any further concerns after making your purchase. It is better if you will personally buy it, at least you’ll get the feel of the jewelry itself.
What A Jeweler Can Tell You
If you are not convinced with the pre-tests given, you may ask for another jeweler’s assistance to identify if it is a cheap gold or not. Jewelers may perform a chemical test to reveal the piece’s property. They may also just look it under a magnifying lens or is commonly known as the jeweler’s loop to determine its quality. If you want to do the chemical test yourself, you may purchase a nitric acid test kits which covers the karats ranging from 10 to 22. Since there some incorrect purity markings, nitric acid test is the best option to test its quality.
Now, if you have done all the suggested tests and you are still not certain with the piece you want to buy, then it is better for you to get over it and find a new piece that you feel confident about instead.
Karat Markings
You must be aware of how much karat is it in your gold jewelry since most jewelry in the market is not made from 100% pure gold and it tends to be too soft that can be damaged easily. This is to avoid conflict and misinterpretation with the seller. Since gold jewelries are mostly processed by machines, hand-made patterns also add in the price. This is not to be confused with the expensiveness in the rate of its craft from the weight of its gold.
Your Style
Buying real gold jewelry is not just about how much gold it has or expensive it is. This is also about value. You must also consider the style if it is functional because you are buying it because of its purpose. If you are buying this for yourself, you may want to have a piece that would speak or connect to you. Real gold jewelry is timeless which may also be passed on for generations.
Always keep in mind that looks can be quite deceiving so if you are really into buying a real gold piece of jewelry always asks for a certification of authenticity.
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