Telling the difference between solid gold and plated ones cannot be done with just your naked eyes. For some, the difference is even insignificant as long as they are wearing something that shines and glitters. Throughout human history until the modern generation, gold continues to represent power, fame and wealth. It has a value worthy to die for and that is why a lot of treasure hunters would spend their lives looking for bars of gold. However, what if after your journey, you end up with gold but you are not sure whether it is pure or plated. This infographic can help you answer this dilemma.
1. Before going to some technical aspect in distinguishing a true gold from not, learn why gold plated is not as valued as much as the pure ones. Gold plated jewelry has a different base metal. The thin layer covering this base metal is gold. However, a solid gold is not exclusively made of gold because the chemical properties of gold such as malleability make it easier to deform. Hence, a solid gold is actually gold alloy but it is consistent in the entire jewelry. However, you must make sure that it has high purity.
2. Gold plated jewelry, often, have stamps to show its metal composition. These initials are GP, GEP, RGP, and HE which means gold plated, gold electroplated, rolled gold plated and heavy gold electroplate, respectively. What if your gold jewelry does not have such stamps? Can you conclude that it is pure gold? Still, no. Though there is a chance that it is solid gold, you can easily jump to conclusions because other gold manufacturers do not engrave its initials.
3. Check on the magnetism of your jewelry. Gold does not react to magnets. Hence, if your jewelry reacted to the magnet, you may conclude that there are other metals present in the jewelry. Not only that, don’t be easily deceived by the base that is not attracted to magnetic force because such tests are not fully reliable.
4. A gold plated 24-carat gold will appear intensely yellow but a solid gold will not be as much. This is because a solid gold is combined with other metals.
5. The acid test will make you a little bit reluctant because you will need to take a part of the jewelry to test it. Using the acid test, the resulting color after the jewelry is exposed to acid will tell what kind of metal it is.
6. If you are still not convinced, then try the scratch test. Cut the jewelry and check what is inside of it. If it has a uniform composition, then you can probably say that it is pure gold.
7. However, not because it is gold plated, you will reject the jewelry. Most women would prefer it because it resembles pure gold, it still makes you look beautiful and most of all it is affordable. Whether it is solid gold or plated, what matters is the satisfaction it can give to the user. And that include budget concerns.
source: https://www.goldplating.com/blogs/news/differentiating-between-solid-gold-and-gold-plated-jewelry
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