Did you buy gold on Dhanteras? How to check the purity of gold at home – Money News

Have you purchased gold jewelery on Dhanteras and are not sure about the purity of the product? While gold hallmarking is now mandatory for all items, large or small, sold by jewelers, customers still want to be assured of the purity of the gold they are considering or have already purchased. In this article, we will learn how to check the purity of gold at home. There are more than seven tests to check gold at home.

Gold may have a certain mark of purity, but this is not always evidence of actual gold content. Some lower quality gold items have higher fineness markings. There are also gold-plated fake products.

On the other hand, you may have an unmarked gold piece in your hand. In such a case, you must confirm. All these reasons explain how important it is to know whether the gold is real or not. It will help you protect your investment, properly value your property or make sure you get what you paid for.

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Hallmarking of gold is mandatory for 6 purity levels: 24 carat, 23 carat, 22 carat, 20 carat, 18 carat and 14 carat. 995 carat is used in hallmarking for 24 carat gold.

Gold hallmarking is mandatory for jewelery and works of art. Hallmarking is not mandatory for gold coins, gold biscuits and gold chocolates.

By following a few simple steps, you will learn how to avoid purchasing fake gold products. But before we get into the specific steps of testing gold, let’s remember its basic characteristics.

Also read: Sovereign Gold Bonds or Gold ETFs: What should you buy this Diwali-Dhanteras?

Properties of gold:

First, let’s remember the chemical properties of gold. The chemical symbol for gold is Au. Gold is a long-lasting metal because:

It is resistant to oxidation and will not tarnish or rust.

Gold is not magnetic; Still wondering “Is gold magnetic?” he wonders. – now you know it’s not like that.

It is highly conductive thermally and electrically and is also resistant to corrosion. That’s why it is indispensable in electronics.

Gold dissolves only with nitro-hydrochloric acid – a yellow-orange mixture of 75% nitric acid and 25% hydrochloric acid.

Gold is malleable; It can be pressed into very thin sheets, 10 times thinner than paper. These layers provide infrared reflection, dental fillings, etc. It is used for.

Gold is ductile; can be drawn into thin wires deposited in circuits such as transistors; brazing alloys, industrial soldering, orthodontic instruments, jet engine manufacturing, etc. as useful.

Since gold is sextile, its alloys are usually measured according to the carat system. A carat is the unit equal to 1/24 of the actual gold in the alloy.

So when you see 24K it means it is pure gold. However, 18 carat gold items indicate that it consists of only 18 parts pure gold and six parts other metals.

You can also learn the authenticity of gold from the thousand fineness system. Purity of gold is expressed as one-thousandth of the mass of actual gold in the alloy. Check out the gold purity chart below, which shows the difference between these two scales and the percentage of actual gold content. You should remember that products with a carat value below 10K are not considered commercial gold products according to US standards.

Also read: Sovereign Gold Bonds or Gold ETFs: What should you buy this Diwali-Dhanteras?

Here are 7 ways to test your gold at home

Magnifying Glass Test: You can use a magnifying glass to test the purity of your gold item. Since real gold does not tarnish, look for signs of discoloration. Genuine gold should have a soft yellow color and not be overly shiny.

Hallmark test: Always check the official mark, called Hallmark, on your jewelry. Genuine gold items have purity marks (in Carats) and the manufacturer’s stamp.

Skin test: Hold the gold object for a few minutes. If it discolors your skin (black or green), it’s probably fake. For accurate results, make sure your skin is clean.

Makeup test: Apply a thin layer of foundation to your skin and press the bottom against it. A black line indicates real gold; No lines indicate it may be fake or gold plated.

Float test: Fill a glass with water and drop your gold object into it. Real gold will sink due to its high density. If it floats or floats, it is most likely fake or plated. This test is not foolproof as some counterfeits may also be concentrated.

Magnet test: Gold is not magnetic. Use a strong magnet; If it attracts gold, it’s probably not real. However, since some non-magnetic counterfeits exist, further testing may be necessary.

Acid test: It is the most accurate method. Use a gold testing acid kit containing nitric acid. Apply a drop to a small scratch on the gold item. While a green reaction indicates fake gold, no reaction indicates high purity.