2006-11-20 16:03:59 · 14 answers · asked by Bambi 3 in Beauty & Style ➔ Fashion & Accessories
The lack of a hallmark (10k, 14k, 18k etc.) is not indicative of whether your piece is gold or not. In the United States it is against the FTC's regulations for the jeweler to hallmark a piece of jewelry unless it is accompanied by a maker's mark. So, when I first began making jewelry and did not have a trademark of my own, I did not hallmark my jewelry. Now that I have a maker's mark, I hallmark my jewelry with the appropriate metal hallmark and my maker's mark.
A jeweler cannot just look at a piece and tell you for certain whether it is gold or not; the jeweler will do a test to determine it.
To be scientfically accurate a sample of the metal in question must be assayed in a testing laboratory, but the following two tests have been used for many years and often are sufficiently accurate for a craftsperson or the owner of the metal in question.
To answer "Is It Gold?":
With a small file, make a scratch in an inconspicuous spot. While wearing rubber gloves, use a wooden, glass or plastic stick to apply a drop of nitric acid to the filed spot. Observe the reaction. When done, rinse everything well in running water.
If there is no reaction, it's gold.
If there's a bright green reaction, it's base metal.
If there's green in the scratch, it's a gold layer over base metal (goldplate).
If there's a milky reaction in the scratch, it's a gold layer over silver.
To answer "What Karat Is It?"
Determining karat requires a testing kit containing nitric acid, aqua regia, samples of known karat, and a touchstone of slate or ceramic.
The gold object to be tested is rubbed on the stone ("touched") to leave a streak. A parallel line is made with one of the test pieces of known karat. Both marks are flooded with acid and the reaction are observed. When the sample colors at the same rate as the test streak, a match has been made. Nitric acid is used for low karat golds; aqua regia is needed for higher karats.
Please note: these tests are for your information only. They are not accurate enough to rely upon when representing a piece for sale. Most jewelers have testing kits to use when determining if something is gold or not and its approximate karat. It is probably easiest to take the item to a jeweler than to set up the testing kits yourself.
2006-11-20 16:27:59 · answer #1 · answered by shabocon 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is most likely not solid gold. Solid gold is too soft and expensive to make jewelry with, especially a chain which will hold some weight. It is most likely gold plate, possibly a thick gold plate. If the crucifix is silver, unless it has a good coating on it, you may find that it gets tarnished. If it is silver, it will state it on the back. As others have suggested, taking it to a jeweler would probably be the right thing to do. They see a lot of this stuff.
2016-03-29 03:47:35 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read the necklace near the clasp. IT says 10k, 14k, 20 k. The higher the karat value the better. If it says nothing it is not real gold. Although, none of your jewelry is pure gold. Gold is too soft to wear purely. That is why we have the karat system, it tells the purity. Higher values are more pure.
2006-11-20 16:12:05 · answer #3 · answered by David 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Check near the clasp. A lot of gold items have a stamp on them that look like 14K, so you not only know its gold but how pure it is. If it doesn't have a stamp compare it to a piece of jewelry you know is gold. If its too bright and too yellow, its usually not gold or merely gold plated.
2006-11-20 16:08:31 · answer #4 · answered by Carole 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the quickest way to tell is this. for some reason gold reacts chemically with makeup, specifically foundation. so if you have foundation on your face rub the neclace on your face and it should turn black where you rubbed it. but the neclace could still be gold plated. in that case you should check with a jeweler
2006-11-20 17:48:43 · answer #5 · answered by somebody's a mom!! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On the necklace, it will have some written in small letters and numbers about carats. Or you can take it to a jewelery shop and ask them
2006-11-20 16:06:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anamika 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If a magnet does not stick.Magnets will not stick to precious metals such as gold,,silver,,brass & copper.
2006-11-20 16:05:36 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
You can have a jeweller evaluate it for you.They have means to tell you how much karat it is.
2006-11-20 16:06:09 · answer #8 · answered by Nini 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you want to know for sure, take it to a jeweller!!! If you have to ask...then he's not the guy for you!!!
2006-11-20 16:05:09 · answer #9 · answered by C 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've never theen real gold. Thorry.
2006-11-20 16:05:32 · answer #10 · answered by The Anthwer Man 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋