The key facts

  • Testing gold is always multi-stage: visual inspection, magnet, touchstone, and in case of doubt — a file cut or spectral analyzer
  • The hydrostatic method is suitable only for cast items without inserts and does not always give an accurate result
  • A GIA certificate does not replace verification of the stone by a gemologist

How pawnshops tell real gold apart from fake

Checking gold jewelry never comes down to a single method: the technique is chosen depending on the type of item, its condition and design. This was told to Gazeta.Ru by Elena Karpova, an expert appraiser of jewelry at the Siyay pawnshop chain.

Main testing methods

The appraisal begins with a visual inspection: the specialist checks for a hallmark and fineness mark, and also uses a magnet — real gold is not magnetic, which immediately rules out some fakes. The most common method is a rub on a touchstone with special reagents: it is safe, leaves no marks, and in most cases is sufficient for small and thin items.

When more complex methods are needed

If there are serious doubts, a file cut is used — mainly for massive jewelry, to check the metal not only on the outside but also inside. According to Karpova, some clients categorically refuse a file cut; in that case the hydrostatic method is possible, but it is mostly suitable for cast items without inserts — chains, bracelets, wedding rings — and even in these cases it does not always give an absolutely accurate result. The most modern option is a spectral analyzer, which determines the metal's composition without mechanical impact, although it too has limitations.

Items with stones and care

If the jewelry contains gemstones, the procedure becomes more complicated: the authenticity of diamonds, sapphires, rubies and other stones is determined on specialized equipment only by trained gemologists. Even a certificate, such as a GIA one, does not replace professional diagnostics — the document merely additionally confirms the characteristics of a stone that still undergoes mandatory verification.

Care recommendations

Karpova advises removing jewelry when cleaning, working in the garden, playing sports, cooking, washing dishes and before going to bed. Every 3–6 months items should be cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner or special products, and every 6–12 months they should get cleaning, polishing, as well as gilding or rhodium plating. Earlier, as the outlet notes, readers were already given the secrets of caring for jewelry.