Often we are faced with situations where it is necessary to determine whether a product from a precious metal is in our hands. But how to determine gold at home? We’ll talk about this.
Let's start with the simplest - with a visual assessment. To determine gold at home, first of all, a factory test will help. It can be located on the clasp, on the inside of the jewelry or on the side. But her absence does not necessarily mean fraud.
If you are checking the authenticity of the ring, then carefully inspect the inside. It should not have any differences from the outside.
You have done all this, but doubts do not leave you? Then arm yourself with the means at hand.
The most affordable method is to bring the tested jewelry to the magnet. Gold will not be attracted to it. However, as always, there is one “but.” Some fakes include base metals, such as, for example, aluminum or copper. On them, too, the magnet will not have any effect.
Then ordinary vinegar will come to your aid. Dip the product for a couple of minutes in a glass with it. If the color has changed, this is a fake.
The same thing can be done with iodine. Just one drop is enough. If the product began to darken from this, then the gold is not real.
An unbaked ceramic figurine can also come in handy. Rub the decoration on it. If there is a golden trace, then you are holding real gold in your hands.
Now let's talk about how to determine gold at home without the use of any devices. Some "experts" claim that when falling, gold emits a characteristic crystal ringing. But how to distinguish this sound from the rest? It is not worth considering this the truth in the last resort, because it is more likely subjective observation.
There is another controversial method, which is popularly called the "Method of Archimedes." Usually it is used when checking a large volume of jewelry.
Gold belongs to heavy metals, therefore, and should sink quickly. But at what speed jewelry should go to the bottom is not known, therefore the authenticity of the method can be considered relative.
If you ask the representatives of the older generation how to determine gold at home, they will answer briefly: "Try a tooth!". A real dent should remain on real gold. The main thing is not to overdo it - the teeth are still more expensive!
Many probably have heard something about methods with sunlight. But how to determine whether or not you are holding gold in your hands with the help of a star? It's simple: the real product in the light and in the shadow will be the same color, and the fake will be darker in the shadow.
Another point that I would like to dwell on is how to determine gold at home using a bread crumb. We must say right away that this process is not fast. In a fresh crumb of black bread we roll the jewelry for a couple of days, and as soon as it becomes hard, we get the product. Oxidation and greens indicate that you have slipped a fake.
Here, in fact, all the ways with which you can distinguish a real precious metal from a fake. But if the quality of the decoration is a matter of principle, then you should contact a specialist.