How to Tell If Something is Real Gold

Get an appraisal to be sure your gold is real.

The chemical element gold is represented on the Periodic Table of Elements as Au. Gold is found in nuggets and deposits in the ground. The metal has a long history of use as jewelry and coins, and countries that use a gold standard for monetary value set prices of domestic currency in relationship to the price of gold. The term gold standard can also mean the benchmark by which things are measured. Because of its high value, people should be certain that they get what they pay for when it comes to buying gold.

Instructions

1. Look at the color of the piece of jewelry you suspect to be gold as a clue to its composition. Many pieces of gold jewelry are yellow, but be aware that some gold is rose colored or white gold, which resembles sterling silver or platinum. In addition, some jewelry that appears to be yellow gold is actually gold filled, which means that a layer of gold is bonded on top of another metal such as rhodium, brass or silver. Gold-plated jewelry uses even less gold than gold-filled jewelry.

2. Check for malleability. Jewelry with a high gold content is soft. Back in the day, people would bite the gold or stick a pin into it to see if it would indent.

3. Verify the purity of the gold by looking for a karat stamp. Gold that is 18K or 18 karats is 75 percent pure gold. Gold that is 14 karats is stamped 14K and is 58.5 percent pure. 10K or 10 karat gold is only 41.7 percent pure, which is the lowest level of purity allowed in the United States for an item to be called gold.

4. Bring your gold jewelry to a professional who can use acids and a test stone to determine the exact composition of the gold.

Tips & Warnings

• Be aware that the value of a gold piece will fluctuate with gold values on a daily basis. You can track changes in gold commodities in the newspaper or online.

• Remember that color alone does not indicate whether or not gold is real.

• Use a reputable dealer when buying or selling gold.

• Before buying or selling gold, make sure you know the purity of your gold and how much it is actually worth by taking it to a jeweler for testing and an appraisal.

References

• Canada Gold Buyer: How can I tell if my gold is real?
• Ebay Guides: What is Gold Filled Jewelry
• National Jewelers Supplies: Gold Acid Testing