There are a few simple tests that you can do to determine whether a piece of jewelry or bullion is real gold. These tests are inexpensive and easy to perform at home, with minimal equipment required.
One test that’s quick and easy to do is the float test. Simply drop a piece of gold into a glass of water and watch it sink or float.
Float Test
The Float Test is a simple at-home way to verify if a gold piece is real or not. All you need is a glass of water and the item that you want to test.
The gold piece will either float or sink to the bottom of the glass. This is a dependable test and is one of the easiest ways to determine if an item is made from real gold.
However, it isn’t foolproof and should be used with other tests to get a more accurate result. This is because some fake gold pieces are made of lighter metals and will be slower to sink or float.
Another way to test if a gold jewelry is real or fake is to scratch it. This is a risky procedure and can damage the jewelry if done wrong. The gold piece will leave a yellow or golden streak when it is scratched, while a fake one leaves a dark streak.
Vinegar Test
Whether you are a novice collector or a seasoned investor, it is important to know how to test gold and silver at home. This will allow you to avoid buying fake pieces of jewelry and save money.
While real gold is inert and will not change color in vinegar, the acid in apple cider vinegar or nitric acid can react with some fake gold alloys to cause a dark appearance. This can be helpful if you are trying to tell if a piece of jewelry is genuine or not, but it is not foolproof and should be used in conjunction with other tests.
The vinegar test is also used as a cervical cancer screening method in lower income countries, where it has proven to be an effective and inexpensive way to catch precancerous cells on the cervix. The test, called white spot testing or visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), is an alternative to the Pap smear. It can be done by locals without expensive equipment and can help identify women who have an abnormal Pap smear result.
Scratch Test
The Scratch Test is an old method used by gold buyers thousands of years ago to test the purity of gold pieces. It involved scratching gold against a touchstone, then comparing it to a similar piece that had a known stamp of purity.
It’s an easy and fast way to test whether or not your gold is genuine. However, it’s not foolproof since some base metals that are commonly mixed with gold are non-magnetic.
Another simple test to check if your gold is genuine or not is to scratch it on an unglazed ceramic plate. Real gold will have a yellowish streak on the surface, while fake gold will have a dark streak.
This is a great test to use for gold rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. It will also work for a small gold coin, as long as the coin is pure gold and does not contain any other metals.
Magnet Test
One of the easiest ways to tell gold and silver from other metals is with a magnet test. This is a great way to sort scrap metal before you recycle it at a facility.
To use the magnet test, grab a small magnet and a piece of metal you want to test (this can be any metal, including coins or jewelry). Hold the magnet at a 45deg angle and place the object at the top.
The gold or silver should slide down the magnet’s surface slowly to the bottom if it is of high purity level. If it is not, it is likely fake and made with another material.
Fake silver is often made with other metals like copper, iron, or nickel. These non-magnetic materials don’t stick to a magnet, so they’re unlikely to be detected by the magnet test.
