We often hear that even gold items bought in a store turned out to be fake. To protect yourself from unpleasant surprises, behave like a careful and knowledgeable buyer. This will help to return the product to the seller without any problems if a fake is found.
Necessary
- - vinegar solution (3% or 9%);
- - pharmaceutical scales;
- - lapis pencil;
- - iodine;
- - magnet.
Instructions
Step 1
Give the gold piece for examination. In fact, this is the only and most reliable test method. All others give a relative and imprecise result.
Step 2
Do not buy gold in markets and kiosks, the likelihood of buying a fake in such places is higher. In addition, it will be difficult for you to get your money back if, after the purchase, the examination determines a fake.
Step 3
Find a specialized jewelry salon that cooperates with Russian or foreign manufacturers of gold products, and purchase gold there. Be careful when buying. Find the sample stamp and manufacturer's stamp. Examine the gold piece, it should be equally well crafted from all sides.
Step 4
Use home screening methods. Put a little iodine on the surface of the gold piece. Wait three minutes and wipe off the iodine with a cloth. There will be no trace on the surface of real gold.
Step 5
Check with a magnet: it will not be able to attract gold. Note that this is a very crude method: bronze, copper, and aluminum also do not magnetise, but they are much lighter than gold. If you have real gold that is the same weight as the one you want to authenticate, then you can check it by comparing the weight.
Step 6
Put the gold piece in vinegar (concentration is not important, it can be 3% or 9%). Wait a while and see if the product darkens. If this happens, then the gold is fake.
Step 7
Get a lapis pencil from the pharmacy (it is used to stop blood). Moisten the gold with water and draw a small line with a pencil. If dark spots remain on the metal, then the gold is fake.
Step 8
Take gold of the same sample, the authenticity of which you have no doubts, for sure you have one. Compare both products visually. Draw a strip over the hard but pliable material, first with one item, then with the other. Compare the prints - they must be identical (this method will not work if you have different gold samples, since then the prints will be different).
