How Can I Tell If My Jewelry is Real?

MyGoldEnvelope has received a number of inquiries from customers who are unsure whether their jewelry is real gold. Since we do not purchase items that are not precious metals, we put together some simple tips to help you determine if your jewelry is real.  

Tip 1: Use a magnet – One simple way to tell whether your metal jewelry is actual gold or silver is to run a magnet over it. Pure gold, silver, platinum and most other precious metals are non-magnetic. Although gold and silver jewelry are sometimes mixed with other metals which are magnetic, usually the amount of other metal contained in the alloy is not sufficient to make your jewelry stick to a magnet. 

Before sending your items in, spread them out on a paper towel and run a common refrigerator magnet over them. If your items stick to the magnet, chances are they are not real and you should not send them in. 

Tip 2: Look for a stamp –The US Federal Trade Commission requires that real gold be stamped with the karat amount. You can usually find the stamp in an inconspicuous location such as on the inside of your ring or near the clasp of your bracelet or necklace. It should read 10k (for 10 karat gold), 14k (for 14k gold), and so on. Silver and platinum will generally describe the grade of metal (.900, .925, .950) and type (Silver, Sterling Silver, Platinum, Plat, or PT). 

Keep in mind that just because an item of jewelry has a stamp, it is not necessarily real. There are many disreputable people out there who can easily place a stamp into a fake piece of jewelry. It is easier to forge a “14k” stamp into a fake bracelet than it is to create a fake hundred dollar bill. 

Tip 3: Have it professionally checked out –The only sure-fire way to tell if your jewelry is real is to have it tested by a professional. A professional will generally perform an “acid test” or use an electronic instrument that can test the purity of your precious metals. When your precious metals are sent in to MyGoldEnvelope, they will be put through this process. These tests will prove unquestionably whether your items are real or fake. 

Unless you purchased your jewelry from a reputable source, we would suggest trying the methods suggested in tips 1 and 2 above prior to sending in your precious metals to MyGoldEnvelope.