Before getting your ring, chain, or old gold collection evaluated, it's only normal to ask yourself, is this gold? Perhaps it was a gift or an heirloom. The item may have been stored in a drawer untouched for a long time with no papers or receipts to indicate its actual value. Fortunately, there are a few tests you can perform at home to give you an accurate idea of what you're dealing with before meeting the assessor.
None of the home tests can substitute a professional evaluation, but they will help you not fall for the two most common pitfalls: thinking plated jewelry is solid gold or that unmarked items have no value whatsoever.
Turn the item over and inspect the inside of a ring band, clasp of a necklace, or the back of a pendant. Authentic gold jewellery should be stamped with its karatage, for example, 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, or 24K gold, or a purity mark, such as 585, 750, or 916. If you are unsure what stamp corresponds to the value of your gold jewellery, our guide to reading jewellery stamps will tell you the worth of every stamp used in Canada.
One thing to note is that sometimes items are not stamped at all, especially if it is an older handmade piece or a 22K or 24K South Asian gold jewellery – this is another reason why many gold owners underestimate their gold jewellery's value.
Gold itself is not magnetic. If your magnet pulls a decent amount of your item to itself or sticks to it, your item almost certainly incorporates some base metals such as iron or steel in its construction and is therefore not solid gold.
Remember that this test will only show you what an item is not. A large variety of fake gold items are made from other metals such as brass or gold-plated metals which are also non-magnetic.
Pure gold is extremely dense — about 19.3 grams per cubic centimetre, nearly as dense as lead. Drop your item gently into a glass of water:
Though the described test can be considered a good screening test, it has some major disadvantages. For instance, tungsten's density is very close to gold's, so it can be used to make more sophisticated fakes. Moreover, the described test is not suitable for hollow rings and jewellery made from other metals, stones, clasps, etc.
The real gold is inert and therefore it is a good choice for jewelry. Such jewelry does not leave green prints on the skin, does not harm your skin after wearing. If the ring or bracelet leaves dark spots or green marks after a few hours of wearing or after touching the skin after visiting the sauna, the bazaar, this means that the jewelry is not made of gold.
Examine the item for areas that are highly worn (e.g., the inside of a ring or the ends of a clasp) and look for areas of a different, more grey or white metal showing through the gold layer. This indicates that the piece is gold-plated or gold-filled, rather than solid karat gold.
Drag the item firmly across an unglazed ceramic plate or tile. Real gold will leave a gold-coloured streak, while most counterfeits and plated metals will leave a dark or black mark. This test will leave a noticeable scratch, so it's not recommended for valuable jewellery that you want to keep. Test it on a less valuable coin or metal scraps you may already have.
Each home test described above is only a screening tool, and the only way to know your item's exact karat, purity, and weight-based value is by going through a professional testing process. Here at Five Star Gold Exchange, each piece is analyzed and weighed on the spot using XRF scanning and acid testing machines, the same method other professional dealers use, so that you can be fully aware of how we arrived at our offer. You can read more about what happens during a gold evaluation appointment before you book.
Don't dismiss it as valueless. There is often some recoverable gold in gold-plated or gold-filled items, and gold items with sentimental value should be kept. To differentiate between genuine gold items and those that are merely gold-plated or gold filled, professional appraisal is the quickest way to determine the value of each individual piece, at no charge.
If your item passes these checks, the next question is value. Our live buying prices are updated daily based on current spot rates for gold and silver, so you can see roughly what to expect before your appointment. This applies whether you're selling modern jewellery, inherited estate pieces, or old sterling silver flatware you found while cleaning out a relative's home.
While home tests are a great start, there is nothing like an on the spot evaluation. Five Star Gold Exchange is a BBB approved gold buyer serving Coquitlam, the lower mainland and surrounding areas such as Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, and the Tri-Cities. We are here to test your gold, silver and unmarked bullion in front of you, show you the math and pay you that day if you choose to sell with us.
Call 604-779-2755 or visit Five Star Gold Exchange to book your appointment. There's no cost to find out what your gold is really worth.
Five Star Gold Exchange — Coquitlam, BC | By Appointment Only
#230 – 1140 Austin Ave, Coquitlam, BC | View Live Prices at fsge.ca