How to Tell If It's Real Gold

2011-09-20T06:43:00.000-07:00

How to Tell If It's Real Gold

Most gold jewelry is is stamped with a hallmark noting the jewelry's karat weight, such as 10k, 14k, etc. However, not having the hallmark doesn't always mean that the gold is fake. Taking the piece to a reputable jeweler is the only foolproof way to verify whether or not a piece of jewelry is real
gold, but there are some tricks you can try at home that can be accurate if done correctly

Make a light scratch on the piece of jewelry with a small file. Pick a spot on the jewelry that will not be noticeable so you can still have the option to wear it if you should choose. Using a dropper, apply a drop of nitric acid on the scratch you made on the jewelry. If nothing happens, the piece is likely real gold. If you see green, you are likely dealing with a base metal or a gold-plated piece of jewelry. If what you see is a milky substance, then you likely have a piece of jewelry that is gold over sterling silver.

Apply liquid foundation in a small area on your arm. Layer it with powder makeup. Rub the jewelry against the spot. If you see a mark, then likely you have a real gold piece of jewelry. If you see nothing, then the piece is likely fake.

Drop the piece of jewelry in question into a jug almost filled with water. Gold should be heavy. If it sinks, that is a good sign that it could be real gold. If the piece floats, then it is probably fake.

Take your piece of jewelry to a reputable jewelry dealer. They are equipped with testing kits that can determine whether or not the piece is real gold. Some jewelry stores will charge you a small fee for this service, but it is foolproof if that is what you want. Unfortunately, even a jeweler is not going to be able to tell if a piece of jewelry is real gold just by looking at it.

How to Detect Gold

2011-09-20T05:28:00.000-07:00

How to Detect Gold

Throughout history, people have developed many ways to try and locate gold in the surface of the
Earth. One of the simplest ways to detect gold is by using a metal detector to identify its location under the ground. Since gold is composed mostly of metal, with a few impurities as well, it is easily detected by metal detectors. While this method does not work well for detecting gold dust, it does work for detecting larger gold

Purchase a metal detector that has an automatic ground balance feature. These detectors automatically sense the composition of the ground and eliminate iron and other metals that may be present. Thus, the detector emits a sound only when actual gold is found.
2

Purchase a set of good quality headphones to attach to the metal detector. Headphones will help amplify faint sounds from the detector that may otherwise be missed. The headphones should have their own volume control that is separate from the metal detector. Headphones can be purchased at a music supply store or anywhere that sells metal detectors.
3

Visit a location that is known to have veins of gold nearby. A link in the Resources section below provides a list of places where gold is known to occur.
4

Put on the headphones and plug the cord into the metal detector.
5

Hold the metal detector as close to the surface of the ground as possible without touching it. Turn the metal detector on and move it slowly over the surface of the ground until it emits a beep. The louder the beep, the larger the concentration of metal.
6

Set the detector aside and insert a shovel into the ground in the location. Dig out one shovelful of dirt at a time and examine the removed dirt for gold or other metal objects. If a non-gold object is found, check the site again with the detector and move on if no sound is heard. If gold is found, continue searching in he same general area, as gold nuggets usually occur in clusters

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How to Tell If It's Real Gold

How to Detect Gold

How to Detect Gold