5 Easy Methods to Check the Purity of Gold

Gold is one of the most precious metals. The metal is preferred for making jewellery pieces for it is malleable and don’t get tarnished. Gold bullion is considered a great way of investment as it fetches good value in the market. Gold bars and gold coins used for the investment purpose. Even gold jewellery can be sold at the time of crisis. 

So, it becomes important to check the purity of gold. Here are five easy methods to tell if it’s real gold or fake.

Check The Hallmark

Mostly all real gold bullion bars and coins are stamped with a hallmark that notes the karat weight of the jewellery. This stamp is usually found on the clasp of a necklace or bracelet, or on the inner band of a ring. 

The European gold is marked with the gold content expressed as a decimal: ".585" would be 58.5% pure (this is the same as 14 karat gold) and ".999" or "1.000" would be pure gold and thus the same as 24 karat. Sometimes old jewellery items don’t have this stamp but they may be made out of pure gold. 

Nitirc Acid Test

Another test to tell if the gold is real or fake is nitric acid test. You can easily do this test at home. Select an inconspicuous place on the jewellery piece; now using a blade make a tiny mark on the piece of gold. 

Drop a small amount of liquid nitric acid on that scratch. If the gold is fake gold, it will immediately turn green where the acid is. Gold over sterling silver will become milky in appearance while real gold will not react to the nitric acid. If the clear drop of liquid does not change color, it’s real gold. Take necessary precautions (gloves, goggles, proper ventilation, etc.) before dealing with the acid.

The Magnet Test

The magnetic test is the easiest test to do it yourself. You can easily carry the magnet in your pocket. Genuine gold bullion coins will not attract a magnet. Imitation gold and other alloys will attract the magnet. 

Coins can appear to be gold, when in fact the surface is simply gold in look. The magnet would easily detect the underlying metal.

Skin Test

If we wear fake gold, our skin decolorises. For skin test, all you have to do is to hold the gold in your hand for a few minutes. Perspiration on the skin will have a chemical reaction with the gold. Skin will discolor - black or green color - if the gold is not pure. Pure gold will not react with the skin.

Float Test 

Drop your gold item into a vessel filled with water. Gold is a heavy metal, so if your jewellery item is made of pure gold, it will sink. But if it floats, it’s surely fake gold. 

If you have doubts about the purity of gold, you can seek help of jewellers to determine its purity. You can also approach certified consultants to conduct professional tests in order to know the genuine gold weight and purity.

Why Buying Gold is a Good Investment?

Gold is one of the most expensive metals found in earth. If histories of nations are tracked, there are clear evidences of the fact that the yellow metal played a pivotal role in managing economies of a nation. 

Gold is no longer used in currencies in any part of the world, but the metal is considered for long-term investment plans. In fact gold investment has proved to add great valuation for your property portfolio. For hundreds of years, gold was considered as universal currency. It was later replaced by other currencies. 

Though gold is no longer used as currency, gold investments is still a preferred mode for many people and there are valid reasons for the same.

Mentioned below are some advantages that come with investment in gold:  

It helps in wealth protection

It is needless to say that banking systems and investment plans are at all-time low now. There is turmoil and lack of confidence in the whole economy. People are looking frantically for ways for protecting their property, assets and wealth. 

And investment in gold offers this opportunity excellently to investors. Preserving wealth in the form of gold will always come with significant value. This investment is a low-risk security asset which is sure to take care of the family’s future in hard times.

Offers hedge against inflation

With inflation taking hold, valuation of gold rises automatically. The pricing of gold happens in US dollars. As a result, deterioration in the valuation of dollar will obviously lead to higher rates of gold. 

This is the reason that at the time of inflation, investing in gold is much safer and wiser decision than making cash investments of any kind.

Investment in gold is considered as ultimate insurance

If you are aiming to remain prepared for turbulent times, there is no better way than owning gold as the yellow metal offers ultimate insurance. There is great turmoil in UK and other leading economies of the world. 

And in such a situation, gold offers the ultimate insurance against economic unrest and instability. Gold investment has significant value and this value never depreciates. Owning gold is like having a timeless asset, whose valuation will hardly deteriorate until and unless, there is some real crisis in the world.  

For controlling part of one’s wealth

If you don’t hold gold bullion bars, it means that you don’t own the same. Physical ownership of gold bars and coins help investors in giving ultimate control on one’s wealth. You have true control on your investment and saving with investment in gold. 

You can keep the gold bars or coins in the bank’s safety locker or even at home if you want. Electronic gold or paper gold will not give this opportunity of controlling a part of your wealth with gold investment.

Easy liquidity in times of need

The best thing about gold is that easy liquidity of the same is possible anywhere in the world. You will be able to get cash against gold in almost all parts of the world without any kind of problem. Along with actual cash, universality and liquidity of gold is truly unparallel.

With so many benefits of investment in gold, there is no point in not showing interest in the same. 

Start investing in gold right away and you will have assets for lifetime, even for your future generations.