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To make sure if the items are really valuable, you can go to a pawnshop, to an appraiser. But checking for authenticity is not difficult to do even at home. To do this, use improvised means, examine the external characteristics of the jewelry.

How to check the authenticity of gold at home

Today, Dubai and Turkish gold are popular. They are often inferior in composition to other types of alloys (of higher quality), but outwardly the products are sometimes difficult to separate from truly precious jewelry. It is a good idea to check the gold first by using simple techniques. It is enough to be attentive. Sometimes use improvised means. Check the valuable jewelry will help cunning:

• appearance: on the areas of the joint, where there is a seam, on closer inspection, you can notice a slight difference in shades - as a solder used gold higher grade, but if the jewel is characterized by a uniform color, it may be a sign of a lower quality alloy;
• Smell: you should smell - gold jewelry does not smell, but other metals usually smell (e.g., silver has a metallic smell);
• Gold jewelry is not a ferromagnet: if you bring a magnet to an alloy that contains a substantial portion of this precious metal, there will be no attraction;
• Shine intensity: it is necessary to compare the external characteristics of the product in the shade and in the sun, with gold jewelry shines regardless of the brightness of sunlight, and an alloy of poor quality looks much better in the sun;
• Unglazed ceramic tiles: it is enough to touch the edge of a gold piece (a stone insert will not do) to evaluate the quality of the alloy; if the share of precious metal is substantial, a yellow band will remain, while a fake leaves a gray or even darker trace.

You can check the product for density, for this purpose used to "try it on the tooth. Gold in its pure form is a soft metal. The higher the ligature content, the harder the item.

Accordingly, low-quality jewelry is much harder to damage.

How to check the gold grade at home

Among the ways to verify gold stand out the most obvious, accessible and understandable - deciphering the number of assay. But this method is not suitable for all products. It happens that a high-quality piece of jewelry does not have a hallmark. However, this does not mean that the unstamped jewelry is of poor quality. Antique pieces of jewelry do not have a hallmark. Some foreign pieces of jewelry are not hallmarked either.

In addition, there is always the risk of damaging a gold ring, bracelet or earrings, in which case it is not always possible to keep the hallmark during repair. In addition, the precious metal can be melted down.

Experienced jewelers can easily check the grade of gold. They use a special device that evaluates the composition of the alloy. If there is still a mark on the piece, you can decipher its meaning. Sample corresponds to the proportion of precious metal in the alloy. It is desirable that its content was substantial, this increases the value of the jewelry. Common variants:

• 583;
• 585;
• 750;

The gold hallmark is also verified by taking into account the external features of the stamp. A quality product matches the characteristics:

• the assay is correctly shaped;
• The numbers are clearly marked.

Reagents for gold testing

To assess the quality, liquids of different nature are used - substances of aggressive action. They are not conditionally dangerous to humans when used correctly, but rubber gloves, goggles, and a respirator should be prepared just in case. Methods of checking the quality of gold jewelry using reagents:

1. Application of acid reagents. The method is universal and can be used to evaluate the characteristics of different types of alloys. Nitric acid will not leave traces on a pure precious metal. The more impurities, the stronger the changes. For example, if a precious metal contains a considerable amount of silver, a film will appear, while other alloys will have a greenish patina.
2. Chlorine gold. This product is intended to evaluate the characteristics of jewelry. It can be used to test gold alloys up to 600 proof. In other cases, there is a risk of getting an unreliable result. More accurate is the method of exposure to this type of reagent on the metal of 583 and 585 tests.

Methods, techniques and instruments than check the gold at home

Additionally check the quality of the alloy using improvised means:

• hydrostatic method: used in pawnshops, but can also be used at home, hydrocheck with water in this case is performed using a container filled with liquid and accurate scales, but no auxiliary apparatus is required, the method is based only on calculations;
• Lapis pencil: this product is available at the drugstore, it is used after moisturizing, as a result of contact with such a remedy, the gold ring or bracelet will not change color;
• Iodine: when applied to a high-grade alloy, copper and brass, the result is the same: the item does not change color; tarnish appears only on jewelry with a low content of the precious metal;
• Vinegar: When there are serious concerns that the item is not too valuable, it is better to refuse this method, as the fake will immediately darken.

If it was not possible to get an exact answer, whether the precious metal meets the characteristics declared by the manufacturer, you should take your jewelry to a jeweler for testing.

But it's best to avoid buying questionable products right away.

It is recommended to visit only trusted stores where there is a certificate for jewelry products, and its external characteristics are beyond doubt.