Eniola Olorundare
Gold is a quintessential symbol of status, power, immortality and wealth, often restricted to royalty.
It is also one of the most valuable and sought-after commodities on the planet. Because of its value, inexpensive jewelry can be made to look more expensive if it appears to bears gold, even if that gold is fake.
Unfortunately, you may not be able to tell the difference between real and fake gold just by at first glance. That is why it is easy for dishonest sellers to dupe people into buying fake items. Fortunately, there are ways to know if your jewelry is the real deal or merely fool’s gold.
LOOK FOR HALLMARKS
Manufacturers put stamps in the clasps of bracelets, necklaces and rings to let you know its purity. If you do not find one in your jewelry, there are chances that it may not be genuine.
The hallmarks include:
Valid purity numbers under the Karat system (like 8k, 9k, 10k, 14k, 15k, 18k, 20k, 21k, 22k, 23k, and 24k)
Valid purity numbers under the Millesimal Fineness system (333, 375, 417, 583 or 585, 625, 750, 833, 875, 916, 958 and 999).
Manufacturer (like ESPO for Esposito, etc.)
If the numbers say anything other than the ones above, then you have fake gold. For example, 850, 920, and 950 do not refer to gold, but to silver.
Not all real gold jewelry has hallmarks – for example, older pieces may have had original markings that have been worn off.
LOOK FOR LETTER MARKINGS
Any gold that is marked less than 10k (41.7% purity) is considered fake.
If the item of jewelry has the letters: GP, GF, GE, GEP, HGP and HEG, this is an indication that the gold is not real. GP means it is gold plated, GF means it is gold filled, GEP means it is gold electroplate, Heavy Gold Plated, Heavy Gold Electroplated for others.
These markings indicate that only a small percentage of gold was contributed to making the metal.
In the same vein, to give you an idea of how the upper levels of purity stack up next to one another: 24k gold is 99.9% pure, while 18k gold is 75% pure. Absolutely 100% pure gold is unheard of, mainly because pure gold is very soft and wouldn’t make for a durable piece of jewelry.
TEST WITH NITRIC ACID
Real gold does not react to nitric acid.
If the surface turns green, your jewelry might be gold clad. A milky substance appears if your gold contains sterling.
Nitric acid is a dangerous chemical, so you should take every precaution when handling it. Wear gloves and goggles, and be sure the room is well-ventilated. Given the potential damage this test does to the jewelry, you may not want to apply it to something of great personal value. A professional jeweler could do the test for you.
APPLY COSMETICS
Cosmetics may also help you determine if your gold is real or fake.
Put on a liquid foundation and add powder over it. Once the makeup has dried, press the piece of jewelry against your skin and then run it lightly over your skin where you have the makeup. If the jewelry leaves a black track on the makeup, you probably have real gold.
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DROP THE ITEM IN WATER: Fill a container at least half-full with water, plenty to cover your gold item with some to spare. Gently drop your gold item into the water. Real gold is a heavy metal and will not float, so if your gold item floats you know it is not real gold. Also, if you notice rust or tarnishing on the item after being in water, this is also a sign it is not real gold since gold doesn’t rust or tarnish. Given the risk of tarnishing, you may not want to do this experiment with an item that is valuable to you.
THE MAGNET TEST
Since gold is not magnetic, you can try using a magnet to see if it attracts the jewelry. You may need to buy a magnet from a hardware store since most kitchen magnets are not strong enough.
However, some of the base metals that can be mixed with gold are also non-magnetic so you can get a false read. The test isn’t foolproof so it’s a good idea to do this in conjunction with another more accurate testing method.
VINEGAR TEST
This test simply requires that a few drops of vinegar be applied to the metal, hopefully in an inconspicuous place.
If the metal is real gold there will be no change. If the metal is fake gold it will change colour.
It’s advisable not to depend on just one method of testing as one may be reliable than the other.
