Gold is one of the most valuable metals in the world. A characteristic that derives both from its enormous scarcity and from the physical properties that distinguish it from other materials, and that have made it appreciated by men for many centuries.
How do you know if the gold jewelery that has been handed down from generation to generation in our family with such zeal is authentic or, on the other hand, barely worth it? How can we be sure that an investment currency in which we have deposited part of our savings is pure gold? How can we be calm with that ingot that we have in the safe, despite the fact that it comes packaged in a blister pack?
There are many queries that we have received from our readers on this matter. That is why we want to explain a series of guidelines that can help us detect possible fraud .
Source
The first precaution that must be taken at the source, when acquiring a piece of gold, whether it is a jewel, a coin or an ingot, is to do so in a store of absolute trust and guarantees .
Online commerce has developed in recent years . A sales formula that has enormous advantages for customers, such as convenience or more adjusted prices. However, in the case of gold, you have to be extremely careful when choosing the virtual trade in which you buy.
As is logical, it must be absolutely trustworthy, duly accredited and with the necessary security measures both in transactions and in transport. If you have references from other clients, much better.
And it’s also a good idea to make sure that the original page has been impersonated: check that it’s spelled correctly, that the address doesn’t contain typos, and that there’s nothing suspicious about its layout.
Regarding physical stores, make sure that they have the appropriate security measures and be wary of any irregularity. Better to postpone the purchase than later to have to regret it.
Appearance
Years ago, a meticulous analysis of the external appearance of the pieces was enough to ensure that they were authentic. Today technology has advanced so much that counterfeits are very good and hard to spot at first glance. However, it does not hurt to draw attention to some external aspects.
Marks : the gold pieces are engraved with some marks of the goldsmith, manufacturer, refinery or laboratory that accredits them as gold pieces and certifies their purity. A good magnifying glass will be enough to verify that they are present. The different designs can be compared by performing a simple internet search, depending on the maker’s mark and caratage.
Logically, this verification is not 100% secure, since the brands can also be counterfeited. But it is possible to detect possible counterfeits if the marks are irregularly engraved or not clear enough.
Wear : in some pieces of jewelry and coins with a certain age, it is necessary to pay attention to the areas that may have greater wear due to use. If a metallic color other than gold is observed in these areas, it could indicate that the piece is made of another metal, with a fine gold coating.
Hardness : Gold is a very soft metal , compared to others. Hence, that characteristic image that we have seen in the movies, of the merchant who bites into a gold coin to verify that it is authentic, makes sense. Gold is soft enough that the imprints of the teeth can be imprinted on it. Excessive hardness should make us suspicious, although it is not definitive proof, since it may be a superficial layer of gold.
Sound : as in the previous case, in many movies we have seen how gold coins are thrown on a marble surface to detect possible irregularities by sound. Pure gold should give off a clean clink as it bounces off a smooth, hard surface like marble. If it sounds hollow or with a deeper sound, we should be wary. As a curiosity, this is the reason why the counters of the old shops were made of marble.
Physical Properties
Gold has very particular physical properties, which make it a highly valued metal and which are why it is used to make coins, jewelry, or even an important raw material in the electronics industry.
Density – One of these characteristics is its density. Gold is one of the densest metals. When we hold a piece of this metal in our hand, the first thing that strikes us is its weight in relation to its small size . That’s because its density is 19.32 grams per cubic centimeter. This means that gold weighs 19 times more than water .
The density of gold is a property that was used by prospectors to isolate this metal from the earth with which it was extracted: by ‘washing’ this earth with a current of water, the gold grains, heavier than the rest, are deposited in the bottom of the rafts, while the earth went away with the water.
With a precision balance, a millimeter glass and water, we can carry out a rudimentary test of the gold piece that we want to check. You just have to weigh the piece, fill the glass up to 0 and submerge the piece. Verifying how far the level has risen, we can know its density which, depending on its purity, would be the following: 11.57 gr/ml for 10-carat gold ; 13.57 gr/ml for the 14 carat one ; 15.58 gr/ml for the 18 carat one ; and 19.32 gr/ml for the 24-karat one .
Although we cannot be absolutely sure of the authenticity of gold, the truth is that refineries and mints are increasingly including more sophisticated security systems that make it difficult to counterfeit. In fact, some of them have even devised systems to identify the bars even though they are packed in a blister pack.
In any case, by adopting the proper precautions, being wary of suspicious elements, both in terms of cost and appearance, and turning to guarantee dealers, we can be calm regarding the authenticity of the gold we buy.