Trends have come and gone, but gold jewelry, especially gold chains have never gone out of style. Whether they are plain chains or 14k gold Cuban chains, they look elegant, bold, and have endless styling properties not to mention the considerable investment that they are.
That’s why, while buying gold chains, you want to be sure that you are buying the real deal. But, how do you ensure that you are putting your money in the right place?
Our experts have put together some simple tips for checking the purity of your gold chain.
Continue reading to know more.
How to Test for Your Gold Chain’s Purity?
Buying a new 14k gold Franco chain or a 14k gold Jesus pendant and thinking whether it is authentic?
Here are some simple tests that you can easily do at home to know if your gold is real or not:
Check The Hallmark
The first thing we recommend is that you look for the hallmark on the jewelry.
Whether it is a 14k gold Jesus pendant, 14k gold Cuban chain, or any other kind of gold chain, it is stamped with a hallmark as a testament to its purity. The hallmark defines how pure is your gold either in karats or the Millesimal Fineness system.
In the United States, the hallmark could be 10k, 18k, etc., out of 24. Remember any gold with a hallmark of less than 10k is fake. Another thing to note is that 24k gold is 99.99% pure. There is nothing like 100% pure gold. This is because pure gold is too soft to be made into a durable piece of jewelry.
If your gold chain comes without a hallmark, it could mean two things. One, that your gold chain is original but old and the hallmark stamp has just worn off.
Secondly, it could be that it is not real. That’s why the presence of a hallmark stamp doesn’t always mean that the gold chain is pure. If the stamp is not there, you need to do further tests.
Consider These Letter Markings
Gold chains come in different levels of quality. While the purest is solid gold, if your gold chain has any of these letterings mentioned, it indicates that it is made with a very small percentage of gold. The rest of the metal in your chain could be nickel alloy, brass, or copper.
Look out for these letter markings
· GP- Gold plated
· GF- Gold filled
· GEP- Gold electroplated
· HGP- Heavy gold plated
· HEG- Heavy gold electroplated
You will find these markings on the back of your 14k gold Jesus pendant or at the clasp of your 14k gold Franco chain.
Do the Skin Test
This is a simple test that tells you immediately if your gold chain is pure or not. To do this test, hold it between your hands for two-three minutes. If the chain’s color remains unaffected, it is pure gold.
On the other hand, fake gold changes color when it comes in contact with the salts in sweat and leaves tinges of black, blue, or green where it touches your skin. This means that the ratio of gold is less than other metals that may be mixed.
Just ensure that your hands must be free of makeup. If your hands have a liquid foundation on them, pure gold will leave black marks on your skin.
Test Your Chain With a Magnet
Another very simple test to check whether your gold chain is pure or otherwise is the magnet test. Place a magnet close to the chain and see the reaction. Since pure gold has no magnetic properties, there will be no attraction to the magnet.
If there is a reaction, then your gold chain is likely fake.
Do the Float Test
The float test is a pretty simple check for knowing the purity of your gold chain. Gold is a heavy metal and has a high density. Put your chain in a bucket of water. If it sinks, it is likely pure gold.
If your chain is made with a mix of metals with a lower proportion of gold, it will float over the water.
However, there is a catch here. If your gold chain is made with any other dense metal other than gold, then also it will sink.
Try the Acid Test
To check whether your gold chain is authentic or not, just run it through the simple acid test. You can do this test with vinegar. Simply apply a few drops of it to your chain and watch for the reaction.
If the gold is authentic, it will not react with vinegar and change color. If the metal is not authentic, you will see the color change to green, black, or blue.
Talk to a Jeweller
While most of these tests give you a fair idea about the purity of your gold chains, the results cannot be said to be 100% foolproof.
If you really want to know how much gold your chain includes, the most reliable method is to talk to a credible and experienced jeweler and get your chain tested.
Jewelers have sophisticated methods to test the purity of gold such as XRF spectrometers and sigma metalytics machines that can easily tell real gold from fake.
Summing Up
Gold is a high-value metal that not only has an emotional value for the buyer but also involves a sizable investment. To ensure that you are getting the real deal for the price that you are paying, make sure that you buy your gold chains from a reputed brand such as So Icy Jewelry. While buying from us, you can be assured about the authenticity of gold. To browse for stunning in-season designs in 14k gold Cuban chains, 14k gold Franco chains, and 14k gold Jesus pendants, connect with us today.