Verifying Scrap Gold Jewelry Purity / Karat

Discounts on gold can be had by purchasing scrap jewelry from a variety of sources. It is imperative to verify the quality of the gold when you are buying it. Many items may be marked as a certain karat, but only well known methods should be used to verify the purity. Simply looking for a mark is not enough. Buying scrap gold without verifying purity can turn your profit into a loss. Typical US gold jewelry is from 8K to 18K on a scale of 24K.

This video will show the results from testing jewelry marked as 14K gold but is not gold at all, as well as testing incorrectly marked, and correctly marked gold.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• gold
• tester
• karat
• scrap
• 14K
• jewelry
• junk
• fake
• how-to
• test

[ThatAussieFamily]

I recently tested a piece with the Tri Electronics GXL-24 and it showed 14k, but after filing into it and retesting the center it showed as not gold. I now file into all pieces and test the center as well.

[MarketHarmony]

@ThatAussieFamily

I have had test results for plated things come up as "6-7 kt" Filing an item could be done on things which you are unsure of the purity, but most items are simple enough that you shouldn't need to file all of them down.

If it is questionable, then verify your test results until you are sure of what you are buying

[jamieA1A]

Do you use an acid test too? How do you know if the celebration of the device is accurate?

[MarketHarmony]

@jamieA1A:

If you have this machine, then there is no need to use acid tests. Acid tests are destructive and are only good for the gold that you rub onto the test stone... not the whole piece. Market Harmony accepts scrap gold from a variety of sources. Past pieces which were first tested with this machine were then melted down and then sent off to be independently assayed via ICAP or fire assay. The results were identical, so the "calibration" is confirmed by this cross-checking method.

[intazaar15]

Can U Tell Me Which Machine Is This ?

[lambdalady]

why do you not file down part of the piece to ensure that it is not just plated gold? I have the same gold tester and I am starting a new business, but I am pretty sure you should file down in case only the outer layer is gold and not all the way through.

[Edgarasmith]

Your video was extremely valuable to me as I'm in the business of setting up a scrap gold business. I was shocked at the items with gold hallmarks that were not gold. Thank you.

[WinnipegGoldBuyer]

A ton of stamped 14k gold actually tests as 12k on my machine too. There is a LOT of undercarating going on out there!!