How to identify a gold ring?
When we don’t know much about it, it’s hard to tell gold jewelry from costume jewelry. There are still different ways to know the type of jewelry we’re dealing with. You don’t need to be an expert to tell a gold ring from a costume one if you apply the few tips we’re going to give you. Unraveling the real from the fake has never been so easy!
Compulsory hallmarks
In France, jewelry stores must affix two hallmarks on gold jewelry to certify their authenticity. For gold rings, le hallmark is always stamped on the outside of the ring. So, if you find one on the inside, it means that your gold ring is not a real one.
There are two types of stamps:
- The master stamp
- The State stamp
The master stamp takes a diamond or oval shape and enables to know who made the jewel. That’s why it often comes along with the initials of the jeweler. As for the State stamp, it determines the karat content of the gold piece of jewelry. Each karat has its own hallmark. For gold rings, the stamp often takes the shape of an eagle’s head, a scallop or a three-leaf clover.
For yellow, white or pink gold rings, it will be an eagle’s or a horse’s head. You don’t have to know these stamps by heart, but if you see one of them on your gold ring, then, you’ll know it’s valuable.
If you have any doubt, don’t hesitate to take your gold ring to an expert who will identify the hallmarks more easily and will thus be able to tell if it’s a real one.
Testing gold jewelry
Although you can always take your gold ring to a jeweler to determine its worth, there are two tests that you can run at home with a little bit of material.
The magnet test
One of the most famous and easiest tests you can do at home is the magnet test. It consists in bringing a magnet near a gold ring to know if it’s real or not. Gold is a non-magnetic metal. Therefore, if your ring reacts to the magnet, it means that it’s fake, or that it’s simply a gold-plated one.
The acid test
This test consists in rubbing the gold ring against a special stone called touchstone. You don’t need to rub it against the stone for long, you’ll quickly see a stain. Once your ring has stained the stone, you have to apply an acid solution that will tell its karat content. If the stains goes away eventually, you can conclude your gold ring is not a real one.
Tips to identify a gold jewelry
There are more tips that can help you identify a gold jewelry. For example, gold is a pretty heavy metal compared to the others that are used to make jewelry. If you own other rings, especially silver ones, you can compare them to tell if your gold ring is real or fake.
Gold is also a very malleable metal. You can thus report its authenticity by biting your jewel, but you risk damaging it.
Of course, if you still have doubts, the best solution is to go to a jeweler who will know better how to expertise your ring.
