How to Use a Gold Jewelry Tester

gold jewelry tester

A gold jewelry tester is the best tool for determining the purity of your gold jewelry. It is an electronic device that sends electromagnetic waves through the jewelry to test its Karat. There are different models of these devices and they can vary in price, but they all do the same thing – identify the Karat of gold jewelry or bullion items. Some models even include a silver and platinum testing option.

A good quality gold tester can determine the Karat of a piece of jewelry or bullion in a matter of seconds. This makes it ideal for a wide range of applications including discerning the difference between a real and a fake item. These devices are lightweight, portable and easy to use requiring no previous knowledge or experience. They come with a battery-powered probe pen or a pad that has a sensor and a display or LED indication bar that tells the Karat value of your piece. These units are inexpensive and highly accurate.

Another way to test your jewelry is to rub it against a ceramic plate. If it’s genuine, a trail or mark will appear on the plate; however, if it’s fake, the mark will turn black or darken. This method is not recommended for high-value pieces because it can damage or scratch the item.

Other methods of testing gold include examining stampings and other markings on the jewelry. You can also check the heaviness of the piece, its color and reflectivity. Lastly, you can place the item under an acid to see how it reacts. However, it is important to know that the acid’s reaction can be influenced by other metals and is not an absolute indicator of its Karat.

You can also try using a magnet to test your gold piece. Pure gold is non-magnetic, but it can be mixed with other metals like copper, zinc or aluminium that are magnetic. Another method of testing is to use a rare-earth magnet on the piece and see how it reacts with it. Pure silver and the precious metals react differently with a magnet, so it’s important to know how to tell the difference.

Alternatively, you can buy one of the many available gold testing kits that will allow you to conduct tests without damaging your piece. These kits typically include a test kit, a plastic carrying case and instruction manual. They include a variety of acids to test your item along with a gold probe and a small brush for cleaning.

A popular kit is the ET-18 RS Mizar electronic gold tester. It is a pro-quality product with a surprisingly affordable price tag and a variety of features that make it a top choice for discerning the karat of your jewelry or bullion. This unit is able to test both solid and hollow items while being highly accurate. It is also portable and battery-operated and can determine the Karat of your sample within a few seconds.