What are some of the best ways to tell if gold is real of fake?

Question

What type of solutions should I use to see if the gold chain is real???... Thanks for your answer... Olivia

Answer 1

A quick test is to rub the object on an unglazed tile.  If it is gold, the colour of the 'streak' will be greenish; not yellow.  This is an old pawnbroker's test.  But the gold has to be pretty pure to pass this test (18 carat).

Answer 2

http://www.canuckjewellers.com

http://www.pugster.org

Answer 3

weigh it  gold is the heaviest metal  and gold doesn't tarnish

gold is relatively soft metal but still hard enough to make jewelry, 24 ct is 99.99% pure quite soft soft,

18 ct is harder, 9 ct harder still  but keep in mind the difference is not much   18 ct gold is easyer to bend  than 9 ct

your chain will have the gold stamp on it somewhere  9 ct  = 375

being 375 part gold to the 1000,  18 ct is 750 = 750 parts gold to the 1000  all gold should have the numbers on it somewhere

    

Answer 4

If you use it everyday, fake ones fade away easily. You can try putting the chain in a glass of vinegar and see if it fades after you take them out of it. If it fades, it's fake.

Answer 5

eureka!

here's a simple do it yourself method:

the density of gold is known. (found this on google:  http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/1...

...and density=mass/volume

so to know if it is real, weigh it (don't forget to account for gravity, weight is mass x gravity) and measure the object's volume.  to easily measure the volume, partially fill a liquid measuring vessel with water, put the item in the water, and measure the displacement.  this is the volume of the object.

now check your findings against the known density of gold.  of course, this only works if the item in question is PURE gold.

Answer 6

Gold is not magnetic, if it attracts a magnet, it has iron in it.

Density tests are difficult.  Pure 24K gold has a density of 19.3 grams/cubic centimeter, but most jewelry is not 24K, it is alloyed with silver, nickel, zinc, palladium, tin, iron, or  aluminum.  Different combinations give all sorts of densities, so measuring the density tells you little.

The so-called "acid test" relies on the fact that gold is not effected by nitric acid, which will dissolve most other metals.  But if you pour nitric acid on a 14K chain, it may ruin the chain while confirming the presence of gold.

There are electronic instruments which purport to tell you the relative purity of a gold object.

Your best bet would be to take it to a jeweler, and ask for an appraisal.

Grandpa