Gold has a unique physical and chemical property. To the untrained eye, all types of gold look the same. So, when it comes to gold bullion or jewelry, knowledge is power! 

It is always advised to check your gold with a professional. However, there are a few easy ways to test if your expensive jewelry is made from real gold. Below are some simple tests you can do at home.

Keep in mind that these tests cannot replace the opinion of a professional, and are not designed to measure the quality or content of gold in a certain piece of jewelry. 

1. Smell test

While this test is far from being the most reliable way to tell real gold from fake gold, it’s one of the easiest and quickest to do. Just rub your hands together with your jewelry between them and take a sniff. If it does not smell like anything in particular, then your jewelry has passed the test. But if your smell any hints of metallic scent, then it’s quite likely you’re dealing with fake gold.

2. Hallmark (Stamp test)

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It is mandatory for all gold items to have a hallmark or ‘stamping’ on the item. These stampings must include the items’ purity in Karats (example in the photo). Some jewelers might also include the manufacturer’s stamp on the item. On necklaces and bracelets, these jewelry hallmarks can be found on or near the clasp. For rings, these are usually found somewhere on the inside surface. However, there are exceptions for old gold or custom order jewelry. It is not uncommon for these items to not have stamping.

3. Magnet test

To test if your jewelry is plated or not, simply touch it with the magnet. Pure gold will not be attracted to the magnet. If the jewelry gets attracted to the magnet (even if just a little), then at least part of it is not gold. Gold chains and some bracelets commonly have a “clasp” lock, and you may find that only the clasp bit sticks to the magnet. This is because there is a spring inside the clasp mechanism as gold does not make good springs.

Jewel Cafe Accepts Any Types of Gold

If you have any old gold, white gold, platinum or even silver come on by to Jewel Cafe and get instant cash for your items!

We can accepted old, broken, even small pieces of jewelry without receipt.

You can also just come to get your gold item professionally check for its authenticity for free.

We look forward to seeing you. 🙂