As they say, "One man's trash is another man's treasure," especially in today's era of thrifting. But how can you tell if a piece of jewelry you might find is real gold?
Fortunately, there are a few DIY methods for testing gold that you can do at home!
- Look for Hallmarks and Stamps — Usually you’ll see one of these on the inside of a ring, or on a clasp. Real gold pieces are often stamped with markings that indicate the karat weight of the gold such as 10K, 14K, 18K, or 24K. However, you’ll have to confirm with another test since stamps can easily be added to non-gold pieces, or the stamp could indicate gold plated or gold filled instead.
- Check the Color and Weight – True gold is difficult to imitate, and therefore, if it seems brassy or too yellow in color, it’s probably not genuine. Are you holding a statement piece with chunky links? If it’s really light, that’s another red flag that the piece isn’t gold. Real gold should feel heavier in that case.
- Use a Strong Magnet — This test is super simple: real gold isn’t magnetic, so if your jewelry is sticking to it, it’s probably made of a different metal.
Costume Jewelry vs. Fine Jewelry
Whether you are looking to make a jewelry purchase, or if you inherit pieces from a beloved family member, it’s important to be able to discern the difference between costume and fine jewelry. The first thing to look for is general appearance and condition. Real gold jewelry doesn’t show discoloration whereas other metals will. If the jewelry is gold plated, you may start to see a white toned metal beneath the yellow gold. Additionally, notice whether the stones are heavily scratched, especially if they look like diamonds, sapphires or rubies, because the genuine ones don’t easily scratch.
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You likely have real gold on your hands!
When in Doubt, Ask a Professional
Now if you’re looking to verify your gold professionally for insurance purposes, or to otherwise determine its value, let’s turn to the expert method of confirming gold authenticity: professional jewelry appraisal.
While this option is a paid service, if you’re really serious about verifying your gold, the appraisal is what we recommend at Colonial Jewelers. Our in-house appraiser has the tools and expertise to test your jewelry thoroughly and will be able to give you a definitive answer. You will walk away with a full documentation of the specifics of your piece: everything you need to present to your insurance company.
Note: There is a difference between a gold buy (when you want to sell your jewelry) and an appraisal (when you want to insure your jewelry). Colonial Jewelers will only do one of these two services for your jewelry, we cannot ethically offer both for the same piece(s). There is no fee when we offer a gold buy, but there is a fee for an appraisal, and you will need to decide at the very beginning of the process which route you're going to take.
Tips for Buying Gold
- Purchase from a Reputable Source – Look for long-established jewelers with a brick and mortar store where you can see the jewelry first-hand. Nothing beats a multi-generational family-owned business where trust and integrity are part of the framework (wink wink).
- Request Documentation – It’s common practice to receive an appraisal with the replacement value of the piece when it’s valued at $1,000 or more. A trusted seller should be able to provide this documentation, and it’s certainly worth having so that you can insure your jewelry properly.
Have further questions regarding your jewelry and the appraisal process? Check out the appraisal page of our website, or call the store to speak with a sales associate who can answer your questions!