How do you tell if something is gold?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How do you tell if something is gold?

Posted: 7/20/2008 6:47:34 PM EDT

I'm going through a bunch of my late grandmother's jewelry. How do you tell if something is gold? Or if a gem in the piece is real.

It looks like she had a lot of costume jewelry but some looks to be real.

Posted: 7/20/2008 6:48:18 PM EDT

[#1]

bite it, that's what they do in the movies

Posted: 7/20/2008 6:48:47 PM EDT

[#2]

Take it to a jewelry store. There should be an imprint somewhere on the jewelry that tells.

Posted: 7/20/2008 6:51:28 PM EDT

[#3]

If it turns your finger green it's REAL.

Posted: 7/20/2008 6:53:21 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
bite it, that's what they do in the movies

damn you beat me to it

Posted: 7/20/2008 6:54:36 PM EDT

[#5]

Figure out it's volume and weight, that will give you it's density.

Posted: 7/20/2008 6:56:12 PM EDT

[#6]

Diamonds conduct heat very well. They will feel cold to the touch.

Gold? Density. But that varies. The best bet would be to look for the marks as most real jewlery is stamped with the carat.

Posted: 7/20/2008 6:56:46 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
bite it, that's what they do in the movies

Posted: 7/20/2008 8:03:26 PM EDT

[#8]

There are several that have no marks. Some are GE, which I know are plated and some are 925 which is 92% silver I think.

Posted: 7/20/2008 8:07:25 PM EDT

[#9]

Drive through an urban area wearing it. If the local thugs try to steal it, it's probably real.

Posted: 7/20/2008 8:07:46 PM EDT

[#10]

Nitric acid

Posted: 7/20/2008 8:08:41 PM EDT

[#11]

Posted: 7/20/2008 8:12:38 PM EDT

[#12]

speaker magnet.

Posted: 7/20/2008 8:13:47 PM EDT

[#13]

if ya got it from a gang bangers neck or a toof....its real Yo!

Posted: 7/20/2008 8:13:51 PM EDT

[#14]

If it's somewhat soft.

You can also throw it in some really strong acid, and if it doesn't dissolve, it's gold. It also doesn't tarnish.

Posted: 7/20/2008 8:26:45 PM EDT

[#15]

Hand it to a woman she'll "just know".

Posted: 7/20/2008 9:08:48 PM EDT

[#16]

Put it in nitric or hydrochloric acid. If it dissolves, it's not gold. The noble metals are pretty much the only metals that don't dissolve in those acids.

But a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric (aqua regia, royal water) will dissolve gold. Iridium is the only metal that isn't corroded by any acid, base, or mixture. I have a troy ounce of iridium. Amazing stuff - much heavier than gold, shiny, hard and corrosion resistant.

Posted: 7/20/2008 9:09:56 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
speaker magnet.

Is Fool's Gold magnetic?

Posted: 7/20/2008 9:16:00 PM EDT

[#18]

1. Ignore that stamp. That is a joke. Unless you see HGE, 1/20 14k, gold filled...those mean plated.
2. Magnet. that said, a heavy plate will keep it from being picked up by a magnet. Just because it passes by a magnet untouched does not make it gold...
3. cut it. If it is gold, it will be gold all the way through.

thats about all one can do with an acid tester. most pawn shops and jewelry stores will have those.

Posted: 7/20/2008 9:22:25 PM EDT

[#19]

Sell all scrap gold, send it off in the mail. Don't worry its AOK.

Posted: 7/20/2008 9:24:06 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:

Quoted:
speaker magnet.

Is Fool's Gold magnetic?

Fool's gold? Iron pyrite? FeS2? They don't make jewelry out of that.

But if you think it is fool's gold, either tap it with a hammer and see if it shatters, or burn it. If it turns into a crust and releases choking sulfur dioxide, it's iron pyrite.

Posted: 7/20/2008 9:27:08 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:

Quoted:
speaker magnet.

Is Fool's Gold magnetic?

Fool's gold? Iron pyrite? FeS2? They don't make jewelry out of that.

But if you think it is fool's gold, either tap it with a hammer and see if it shatters, or burn it. If it turns into a crust and releases choking sulfur dioxide, it's iron pyrite.

And yes, the Fe would lead me to believe that it would be attracted to a magnetic object.

Posted: 7/20/2008 9:29:25 PM EDT

[#22]

Send it here!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=C21v5Sxm0Zo

You can get cash for your scrap gold!

Posted: 7/20/2008 9:33:30 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

Quoted:
speaker magnet.

Is Fool's Gold magnetic?

Fool's gold? Iron pyrite? FeS2? They don't make jewelry out of that.

But if you think it is fool's gold, either tap it with a hammer and see if it shatters, or burn it. If it turns into a crust and releases choking sulfur dioxide, it's iron pyrite.

And yes, the Fe would lead me to believe that it would be attracted to a magnetic object.

I remember trying it once, and I don't remember it having any attraction.

With FeS2, more than half of the mass is sulfur (ratio of 56 iron to 64 sulfur.) It's also a lot less dense than iron. It could be that the iron is just too spread out to be magnetic.

Posted: 7/20/2008 9:35:02 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:

Quoted:
speaker magnet.

Is Fool's Gold magnetic?

Fool's gold? Iron pyrite? FeS2? They don't make jewelry out of that.

But if you think it is fool's gold, either tap it with a hammer and see if it shatters, or burn it. If it turns into a crust and releases choking sulfur dioxide, it's iron pyrite.

And yes, the Fe would lead me to believe that it would be attracted to a magnetic object.

I remember trying it once, and I don't remember it having any attraction.

With FeS2, more than half of the mass is sulfur (ratio of 56 iron to 64 sulfur.) It's also a lot less dense than iron. It could be that the iron is just too spread out to be magnetic.

Maybe you need a bigger magnet.

Posted: 7/20/2008 9:50:05 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Put it in nitric or hydrochloric acid. If it dissolves, it's not gold. The noble metals are pretty much the only metals that don't dissolve in those acids.

But a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric (aqua regia, royal water) will dissolve gold. Iridium is the only metal that isn't corroded by any acid, base, or mixture. I have a troy ounce of iridium. Amazing stuff - much heavier than gold, shiny, hard and corrosion resistant.

Just curious....whats an TO of that cost? And whered you get it?

Posted: 7/20/2008 10:16:35 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Put it in nitric or hydrochloric acid. If it dissolves, it's not gold. The noble metals are pretty much the only metals that don't dissolve in those acids.

But a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric (aqua regia, royal water) will dissolve gold. Iridium is the only metal that isn't corroded by any acid, base, or mixture. I have a troy ounce of iridium. Amazing stuff - much heavier than gold, shiny, hard and corrosion resistant.

Just curious....whats an TO of that cost? And whered you get it?

The actual worth of the metal is somewhere around $400-500/oz. I bought a beautiful electron-arc-melted 31.3g button made from iridium powder, extremely pure (99.99) for a little over $700 from eBay. It's only an ounce, but it's tiny - about the size of a small marble. According to the weight and density, it has a volume of about 1.4cc. It feels unnaturally heavy for its size. The same weight of gold would have a volume of 1.62cc. It's 1.162 times more dense than gold.

Posted: 7/20/2008 10:24:20 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
If it turns your finger green it's REAL.

Oh, she was real alright. Now about the other things that turned green...

ETA: This is not a reference to the OP's GM.

Seriously,if were me I'd find a trustworthy jeweler to sort through and appraise for me.

Sly

Posted: 7/20/2008 10:46:36 PM EDT

[#28]

any jeweler worth his salt should be able to do an appraisal of all your stuff and be able to supply you with a letter stating their findings along with the items current market value for chump change. Usually $20 or so per item.

Posted: 7/20/2008 11:13:52 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
Put it in nitric or hydrochloric acid. If it dissolves, it's not gold. The noble metals are pretty much the only metals that don't dissolve in those acids.

But a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric (aqua regia, royal water) will dissolve gold. Iridium is the only metal that isn't corroded by any acid, base, or mixture. I have a troy ounce of iridium. Amazing stuff - much heavier than gold, shiny, hard and corrosion resistant.

By "much" heavier you mean, what, about 15% heavier?

Posted: 7/20/2008 11:23:41 PM EDT

[#30]

wash it and taste it....Gold has no taste!

Posted: 7/20/2008 11:57:54 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Put it in nitric or hydrochloric acid. If it dissolves, it's not gold. The noble metals are pretty much the only metals that don't dissolve in those acids.

But a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric (aqua regia, royal water) will dissolve gold. Iridium is the only metal that isn't corroded by any acid, base, or mixture. I have a troy ounce of iridium. Amazing stuff - much heavier than gold, shiny, hard and corrosion resistant.

By "much" heavier you mean, what, about 15% heavier?

That's not a negligible amount. That's like adding the density of aluminum and lithium to gold.

But, whatever. Tomato, tomahto.

Posted: 7/21/2008 12:02:40 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:

Quoted:
speaker magnet.

Is Fool's Gold magnetic?

Fool's gold? Iron pyrite? FeS2? They don't make jewelry out of that.

But if you think it is fool's gold, either tap it with a hammer and see if it shatters, or burn it. If it turns into a crust and releases choking sulfur dioxide, it's iron pyrite.

And yes, the Fe would lead me to believe that it would be attracted to a magnetic object.

I remember trying it once, and I don't remember it having any attraction.

With FeS2, more than half of the mass is sulfur (ratio of 56 iron to 64 sulfur.) It's also a lot less dense than iron. It could be that the iron is just too spread out to be magnetic.

Maybe you need a bigger magnet.

I have 6 magnets, each with over 100lbs of pulling force. I also happen to have some pyrite nodules. The magnets weren't interested.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How do you tell if something is gold?

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