Before you sell, it helps to know whether a piece is solid gold, gold-filled, plated or fake. None of these home checks is as reliable as an X-ray fluorescence test, but together they will sort most jewelry correctly.
1. Look for a hallmark
Solid gold is usually stamped with its karat (10K, 14K, 18K) or fineness (417, 585, 750). Look inside ring bands, on clasps and on the backs of pendants with a magnifying glass. Marks such as GP, GEP, HGE or RGP mean gold-plated. GF or 1/20 means gold-filled.
2. Try a magnet
Gold isn’t magnetic. If a piece jumps to a strong magnet, it is mostly another metal. Passing this test proves little, because many fakes aren’t magnetic either, but failing it is decisive. Clasps often contain a steel spring, so test the chain itself.
3. Check for wear
Plating wears through at edges and contact points. If you see a different color metal showing on the corners of a ring or the links of a chain, it’s plated.
4. The ceramic streak test
Drag the piece gently across unglazed ceramic, like the bottom of a mug. Real gold leaves a gold streak, while a black streak suggests something else. This can scratch your item, so use a hidden spot.
5. Weigh it against its size
Gold is dense. A solid gold chain feels heavier than a brass one of the same size. This isn’t precise, but large differences are telling.
6. Skip the bite and vinegar tests
Biting damages jewelry and proves nothing. Vinegar and bleach tests can damage real gold alloys without telling you their karat.
When in doubt, send it
Send us photos for a free quote and we’ll tell you what we see. We test every item on recorded video before paying.