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Brand · 2 guides

Gold: real vs fake

Every Gold checkpoint on this site states a measurement, an accept range and how we arrived at it. No comparison photos we didn't shoot, no certificates.

Real vs fake guides
How To Tell If Gold Is Real: 11 Measured Checks 15 measured checks How To Tell If a Gold Chain Is Real: 9 Measured Checks 13 measured checks
Checkpoints covered
  • Water displacement density 19.32 g/cm3 for 24K; 15.0 to 16.0 for 18K; 13.0 to 14.3 for 14K; 11.5 to 13.0 for 10K
  • Fineness stamp 585 parts per thousand for 14K; 375 = 9K, 417 = 10K, 750 = 18K, 916 = 22K, 999 = 24K
  • Electroplate thickness 0.175 microns of fine gold minimum for 'gold electroplate'; 2.5 microns for 'heavy gold electroplate' and vermeil
  • Gold-filled weight fraction 5 percent of total weight (1/20) for 'gold filled'; 2.5 percent (1/40) for 'rolled gold plate'
  • Nitric acid reaction 0 visible reaction on solid 14K and 18K under 68 to 70 percent nitric acid
  • Magnet pull 0 movement toward a neodymium magnet held 5 mm away, then touched to the piece
  • Ceramic streak 2.5 to 3 on the Mohs scale; streak colour golden yellow on unglazed ceramic
  • XRF read depth 15 microns of surface a handheld XRF analyser reads, about 0.015 mm
  • Coin weight and diameter 33.931 g and 32.70 mm for a 1 oz American Gold Eagle; 33.93 g, 32.77 mm and 2.84 mm thick for a 1 oz Krugerrand
  • Ultrasonic sound velocity 3240 m/s in gold; 5170 to 5180 m/s in tungsten
  • Resistivity read depth 2 mm depth the Sigma Metalytics bullion wand reads into a bar or coin
  • Grams per inch 0.83 g per inch for a solid 14K 3mm rope; about 0.14 for a hollow 14K 2.8mm rope
  • Solid-link density 13.4 g/cm3 for solid 14K; 15.0 to 16.0 for 18K; 8.00 for 316 stainless steel
  • Fine gold fraction 58.3 percent fine gold in 14K; 41.7 percent in 10K and 75.0 percent in 18K
  • Karat stamp position 2 places a chain carries its mark: the clasp tongue and the tag welded to the end link
  • UK hallmark count 3 compulsory UK marks on a gold article over 1.0 g: sponsor, fineness, assay office
  • Clasp spring pull 1 magnetic component on a genuine gold chain: the steel spring inside the clasp
  • Link joint gap 0 mm of visible daylight at each soldered or laser-welded link joint
  • Plating layer thickness 0.175 microns of fine gold minimum for gold electroplate; 2.5 microns for heavy gold electroplate and vermeil
  • Nitric acid notch 0 visible reaction on solid 14K and 18K under 68 to 70 percent nitric acid
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