Checking gold purity at home: Know the Five best ways!

May 31, 2024

When we talk about investing, everyone votes for the precious yellow metal – Gold. In our country, whether it’s a religious occasion or some family function, this precious metal is always a part of the ritual. This is one of the reasons why the value of gold is increasing day by day. The more people demand this valuable metal, the more they pay in return for its value. However, regardless of whether you are going shopping to buy a piece of gold jewellery, coins, or even gold bars then you need to be very cautious of the purity of gold. Even if you cannot easily take your piece to a professional jeweller or an assay office, you can try the following basic at-home tests to determine the karat gold of your piece.

GIVA is always with you to find information on how you can determine the pure gold content without necessarily having to use sophisticated equipment. To understand that worth, knowing the purity of your gold is quite essential in the value chain of the precious commodity. Now, you may be thinking why do we need to check the purity of gold?

We should never forget that the purity of gold has been falsely replicated by some manufacturers who have been producing alloyed metals that look like gold. This is why the purity of gold needs to be checked from time to time. Let’s start with some tried and tested methods to know how to check gold purity at home.

Five methods for checking gold purity at home

Is your gold magnetic?

1. Magnet Test

Gold is not magnetic. This means that your gold piece being drawn towards the magnet probably isn’t pure gold or has a good percentage of other metal types.

Steps:

Get a strong magnet.
If you have an object that contains gold, bring it close to the magnet.
Check whether the item being tested is a magnet by getting it close to the magnet.

Note: The test will tell you that there are other metals present within the sample but it cannot on its own tell you of the purity of this metal.

2. Float Test

Gold is pure and has a high specific gravity, thus when it comes across water, it will simply settle at the bottom. Fake products or products with gold plating may also float or sink a little.

Steps:

Take any clear glass and fill it with water.
Now put your gold item into the water and keep looking at what happens to it
If it sinks to the bottom, the gold is pure, and if it starts to float then it's mixed with some other alloys.

Note: This test is simple but you cannot rely on it to determine the high quality of gold.

3. Ceramic Scratch Test

Is your real gold really real?

You should know that; with a bar of pure gold, you can rub it on the surface of an unglazed ceramic to give a gold streak while the fake one will only give a black streak.

Steps:

You can use a plain unglazed ceramic plate or tile
In the case of gold jewellery, for example, you just need to gently rub the piece on the ceramic surface.
If the color left behind after the streak is black, it's not gold and if the streak is of gold shade, then it’s pure gold.

Note: This test can scratch your gold item if you overdo it, so be careful.

4. Nitric Acid Test

The last of these involves the inclination of the sample with nitric acid to test its purity. This can be because genuine gold will not tarnish while other metals that are mixed during the process do.

Steps:

Buy a gold testing kit that has nitric acid as its component.
Here we recommend using a small scratch to make an initial assessment regarding the gold item we are talking about.
Using a small cotton soaked in nitric acid, apply it to the particular scratched area.
Observe the reaction.

Reactions:

No reaction: Genuine gold

Green reaction: Base metals

Milky reaction: Gold-plated sterling silver

Safety Note: Nitric acid can be dangerous; it is advised to use gloves and safety eyeglasses while handling the substance.

5. Hallmark Verification

GIVA ensures purity with 18K & 14K Gold Jewellery

Hallmarks are official hallmarks that are placed on metal wares especially gold to show levels of purity. The following can be run as a check to verify authenticity.

Steps:

Look at the surface of the gold item for a sign that indicates that it is a hallmark.
If it still cannot be determined, then the item should be viewed under a magnifying glass to read the hallmark present on the piece.
Compare the hallmark with the actual standard of gold as offered by the relevant authorities.

Common Hallmarks:

24K , 22K , 18K , etc.
The products bearing the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) mark.
Manufacturer’s logo

Tips for Accurate Testing

Clean the Item: Gold may contain impurities such as dirt, oil or other materials that may influence the result so ensure your gold item is clean.

Multiple Tests: Other than that, use more than one test method to get a more accurate result.

Consult Professionals: High-value material; It is advisable to affirm the results of an assessment using an expert appraisal.

GIVA: Learn the basics to get better swing while purchasing Gold

GIVA believes that it is beneficial for individuals to be able to check the purity of gold in the comfort of their own home and without having to go to a professional, so it is ideal for those who want to check before investing their money. Though this help will let them gain some information and results, they still to need to buy ths precious metal form stores like us who ensure safety, purity & affordability - all at one place.

So, if you have any doubt about the jewellery you have at home, go for , self-testing as it can prove to be a reliable practice that guarantees the purity and authenticity of the gold before anyone can decide to invest more of their money in gold.

Explore Our Gold Collection:

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