How can you tell if gold jewelry is real gold?

Answer 1

In the United States, anything that is not at least 10 karats (42 percent gold) cannot be legally sold as gold. Anything that you purchase that is real gold should have the karat amount stamped into the jewelry. On rings, the stamp will be on the inside; and on necklaces and bracelets, the stamp will usually be somewhere on the clasp.

If the jewelry you are purchasing doesn't have a stamp stating that it's 10k, 14k, 18k, or 22k, chances are that it isn't real gold.

If the jewelry is stamped and you still question whether or not it is real gold, you can take it to certain jewelers to find out whether or not it is real gold. A jeweler will be able to perform a chemical test or look at the piece under a jeweler's loop to determine the quality of the piece.

If you're thinking of purchasing a piece of gold jewelry and something is making you question whether or not it's real, it's probably best to pass and find another piece that you can feel confident about.

The best way to tell the purity of gold is by purchasing a Nitric acid test kit; such a kit can be found on sites like E-bay for under $30. It will cover karats ranging from 10 karat to 22k karat, as well as silver & platinum! Markings on a piece are usually completely useless -- the amount of jewelry that's improperly marked is absurd. If you're not buying from a reputable jeweler, I strongly suggest using the Nitric acid test kit.

Answer 2

Do the magnet test� if it clings to a magnet it's fake

The ole green test works too - If your skin turns green after wearing it its fake or if you want to test the green test faster, pour nitric acid on the piece and if the liquid turns green then it�s a faker.

If it doesn't have a karat stamp on it (14K, 24K, etc.) then you know its fake and if the stamp is less then 10K then it is not genuine gold.

if it looks green, or with bits of black and brown, and when you bite it breaks of your tooth, then its a fake..take it for granted! (old fashion way) new way, go to the local pawn shop and they'll test it for you.