How to Test Gold for Quality
If you are a collector of gold jewelry, you may have occasion to purchase a piece from another owner or even a dealer at a flea market. The dealer steadfastly maintains that the piece in question is genuine 14 karat gold, but there are no stampings on the piece to verify this. How can you be sure what you're looking at is actually 14K gold?
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Things You'll Need
- Gold testing kit containing a vial of 14K testing solution
- 14K gold testing needle
- Gold item to be tested
Instructions
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Select a portion of the object which will normally be hidden from view. Press the object against the testing stone and make a scratch slightly longer than one inch in length. Next to it, make an identical scratch from your 14K gold testing needle. The scratch from your needle is your control.
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Place a drop of testing solution on the scratch from the piece of jewelry. If the testing solution dissolves it, is is not 14K gold. If the gold remains intact, it indicates that the piece is 14K or higher.
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Purchase the object or reject the dealer's offer depending on the test results.
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Tips & Warnings
Exercise caution when using gold testing solutions. They are acids, so avoid any contact with your skin. Some gold testing kits contain testing solutions for 10K, 14K, 18K and 22K gold.
