Is it REAL? How to test your jewelry

HOW TO TEST IS 18 KARAT GOLD REAL?

So how can you tell if the jewelry you have is really 18 karat? Here are a few ways you can test on your own.

HALLMARKS

Gold must be stamped with a hallmark that tells the purchaser what karat the gold is. 18 karat gold will have a small stamp on the inside of the jewelry that reads 18k.

But could a forger include that in their fake? Of course, so try at least one other test to help you determine if your jewelry is truly 18 karat.

WEIGHT

Gold is a heavy metal, so heavy that it will sink in water. If you drop your jewelry in a glass of water, real gold will drop straight down. Remember that 18 karat gold is 75% gold mixed with other alloys.

Some of the lighter karat weights like 10 or 12 karats will not drop down as quickly as a piece of jewelry made with 18 karat gold.

MAGNETIC

Gold is a metal that will not attract a magnet. To test is 18k gold real, hold it next to a magnet. If the magnet sticks to your jewelry, then it does not have a high percentage of gold but is made up of other, more magnetic metals.