Testing for gold or silver can be easy.
Throughout history, gold and silver have been considered precious metals and one of their primary uses has been to make jewelry and decorative objects. For gold, 10 karat is the lowest purity (and the densest), while 24 karat is very soft and nearly pure. Sometimes that karat purity is marked on jewelry, but a simple test can resolve any questions. For silver, nearly all items that are silver are sterling silver, or 92.5 percent silver. A simple acid test can solve any lingering questions.
Instructions
1. Look for markings on the piece. Typically, gold jewelry is marked with a number plus the letter K, to signify the karat purity. So, 10K is 10 karat gold and 24K is 24 karat gold. This will typically be on the clasp for necklaces and bracelets, on the inside of a ring and on the post of earrings. Silver is typically marked "Sterling" or ".925," which references that it is 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent other metals.
2. Use a gold testing kit. A gold testing kit uses acids to determine the gold purity. A typical testing kit has separate bottles for 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K and 24K gold. To use, scratch the jewelry on the stone that is provided in the kit. Scratch in a protected area, such as the inside of the clasp, as it is a destructive test. The kit will have instructions. The length of time the acid takes to dissolve is an indicator of the gold's purity.
3. Use a silver testing acid. Sterling silver is easier to test than gold. Silver-plated items, or low quality silver, will turn green when a drop of nitric acid is applied to the surface, indicating the high copper content. Sterling silver will turn a creamy color. The test is most effective when applied to a fresh small filed cut in a protected area.
