Gold
Publish date: May 29, 2024
Last updated: Jun 25, 2024
Last updated: Jun 25, 2024
Long time ago, I worked in a pawnshop and I learned how to appraised gold.
Here are the things I learned in no particular order.
- 21/24 = .875
- there are no pure jewelries, only bars
- 14k, 16k, 18k, 21k, 22k and 24k doesn’t react to acid
- 10k and 12k react (becomes sunog) almost immediately
- 14k doesn’t react to acid but when ashed it becomes sunog
- 21k, 22k and 24k produce tiny particles when scratched
- 22k and 24k resist when scratched
- if markings says 21k, but is actually 24k, make it 21k
- the higher the karat, the higher the malleability
- gold:
- doesn’t react to magnet
- doesn’t rust
- doesn’t smell
- doesn’t float
- does’t fade
- use toothpaste to clean gold
- 999 usually have adjustable design
- pinoy made 16k (orig) usually have baht or paracale design
- 18k is yellowish
- pinoy made 16k (orig) is greenish
- 21k and 22k are reddish
- when pinoy made 16k (orig) is scratched, it produces greenish (avocado) particles that are blocky
- jewelries from Japan, UAE, Saudi etc. is quality controlled thus above standard
- when in doubt, the rule of a thumb is decline
- 18k below are sturdy hence best for daily use
- trained eye can easily distinguish 18k, 21k, 22k and 24k trough its design, texture, color and malleability
- while using the lense, don’t squint the other eye