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@@rachellbarnes799 there are a lot of reliable diamond testers out there. The really cheap ones are hit or miss but the nice ones are close to 100% reliable

@@suteners2111It's true there are many less destructive ways to test gold that are much more reliable too. These are just some inexpensive ones that can help at home, pawn shops should have gold testing equipment that they can use to prove what they're selling to you is legitimate.

@@ArdenJewelers ok, thanks.

Thanks! In our experience, box chains are kind of in the middle. They're not as strong as rope or cable chains, and they're not as weak as a bead or snake chains. We'll have to film a follow up video later with some of the styles that we missed in this one.

@@ArdenJewelers Thank you! The reason I ask is because I used to have a 2mm 18k one and I'd always sleep in it with no issue (except for the pendant to always end up behind my neck somehow) and my girlfriend at the time always warned about kinks. My 5mm herringbone is one of my favorites but I've only worn it 3 times or so due to it being so delicate, and luckily learned before purchase that I can't sleep in it. A 7mm rope is usually what I sleep with, and no issue. Since tennis chains be it with moissanite or diamond are so popular, I suggest testing those, as well as francos which are constantly being pushed online. Thank you for the fast reply and I look forward to the follow up video as well.

@@SCARREDENT Box chains can kink but less often than some other styles. I always recommend taking jewelry off while sleeping, but as long as you understand the risks, then that's your choice. Those are all great options to include in part 2, I appreciate your insight.

Thanks for the kind words! We do have some more educational content in the pipeline. Stay tuned. :)

Hahaha, but a fierce llama, right? :)

@@ArdenJewelers I like llamas! 🦙 🙃

Thanks for reaching out. This particular ring is more of a fun idea than a practical self defense tool. That said we could definitely make something for you that would be stronger in sterling silver or gold if you would like. Feel free to text/call us and we can talk ideas: www.mygemologist.com/about-us/contact/

It was an interesting find for sure! And yes, the electronic testers are very nice to have.

Thank you for your comment. I asked around a bit and we're not familiar with that stamp. It may be indicative of the maker but I don't think that helps narrow down if it is real or fake.

Awe! You're the best. Yes, Angelo and his family are doing very well. Thanks for reaching out. :)

Thanks for the suggestion! That would definitely be a fun follow up to this video.

Thanks! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video.

Thanks! Yeah, we were surprised how well the foundation test worked. Pretty cool. :)

Thanks for commenting. The magnet is a great first step, but just keep in mind that there are fakes that are not magnetic. So, it can't catch everything.

Generally I agree with this, the hard part is that most people aren't able to test for those at home with things they may have laying around. But yes if they had an accurate scale and a volumetric flask that would be a good way to determine authenticity

Great question! Almost all testing methods from the most professional XRF machine to the toothpaste trick only test the surface of a piece. So, if the plating is thick enough, it will register as gold. That's why you see us filing in to each piece before we test it. You need to get through the plating to the metal underneath. Now, filing is destructive, so we try not to file a piece in real life if we can help it. Also, we try to file in an inconspicuous area, and we always get the customer's permission first. If you are testing your own jewelry, try to test an area that naturally has some wear on it. If you need to be sure, file into it first like we do in the video.

Thanks for the feedback. Just keep in mind that many pieces of fake gold jewelry are plated. If you don't file them, you will just be testing the outer plating, and you'll miss that it's fake. Also, just so you know, when we test jewelry in our store, we always start with non-destructive tests (like the electronic tester), and we will only scratch a piece if absolutely necessary with the customer's permission.

You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. :)

not all fake jewelry will stick to magnets, but no real gold jewelry should (except for clasps which always have a steel spring in them) So it won't definitively tell you if it IS gold, but it can tell you definitively if it is not. Hopefully this helps

Very true! Thanks for sharing. :)

You can use toothpaste, however since toothpaste typically has an abrasive in you, you may leave micro scratches behind.

While they can technically be slightly magnetic, you won't see any gold alloy jump to a magnet, or stick to it strong enough to pick the item up which is what we were implying here that being said yes, gold alloys can be slightly magnetic on occasion so that could have been stated clearer. I appreciate the compliment thank you!

Totally understandable, we were referring to the test itself not working. Since we were trying DIY tests not all of them are definitive. That could have been stated clearer though thanks for the feedback.

Since we didn't see a reaction on either the fake piece or the real gold piece, those tests didn't work well for us. The idea is that you're supposed to see some kind of reaction when you test a piece of fake gold (and we didn't). Of course, your results could be different. This is just what we were seeing. Hopefully that helps.

If the foundation changes color (gets darker) that's an indication that the piece is genuine gold. I know that definitely could have been more clearly explained in the video.

You're welcome! I'm glad the video was helpful to you. :)

Haha, oo-de-lally!

It is possible that they weren't experienced. It is definitely possible that one of the jewelers knew for sure and the other made a mistake (I can't say without seeing the item in person which one was correct) It sounds like if they were purchased for $150 they likely wouldn't have offered more unless there was a long time period in between. the gold market typically goes up over time so if they were purchased when gold was much lower that would be a possibility.

@@ArdenJewelers Thank you for the response. Yeah, they were purchased in the late 80's and I sold them back in 2017.

Good question. That definitely could have been clearer in the video. If the test is working, real gold should leave a dark mark in the foundation, but fake gold will not. Of course, it isn't foolproof, but it did work pretty well with our test pieces.

Black mark means fake

Lmao what kinda pawnshop you go to? Gold is gold if it's real I ain't ever seen a pawnshop not take gold ,shit some will take scraps ,they gone low ball tf out you of course but that's what they do

Of course! I'm so glad you're enjoying the videos. :)

The link the the machine is in the description but I will copy it here as well. The machine needs to be a calibrated on a regular basis as well. We use a ring that is known 18k gold and calibrate it daily at minimum (sometimes more often if needed)

Oh yeah I had another question I remember a long time ago I did a test by taking the piece of jewelry and rubbing it on my forehead and leaving a black mark indicating it was real. Is that still effective? I think it has something to do with the iron in a person's body, so it is not the most reliable. Also I think it might have been for sterling silver if a black mark appears it means it's real sterling silver but I don't remember do you know anything about this? Again thanks for the video it was really great and you were super friendly and very thorough but not too thorough. Which I loved because I didn't have to fast forward.

The black mark on the forehead almost sounds like the liquid foundation test. Maybe that's what it was? I haven't heard of a test that works directly on the skin. I would definitely be skeptical of that. I'm so glad you enjoyed the video, by the way. It always makes our day to read comments like this. :)

Great question. If the foundation turns darker it could be an indication that it is real. in this test the real ring turned the foundation darker, while the fake item did not.

Thanks for the comment, that is a great question! Most likely the clasp and the jump ring attaching it to the chain will be the weakest points. the chain itself should hold more than 50 lbs as an educated guess. Clasps and jump rings usually fail around 10-20 lbs depending on how thick they are.

I agree. In your case, your best bet is probably to ask for help from a local gemologist/jewelry buyer. If you bring us a handful of pieces that you are interested in selling, for example, we won't charge you to test them and let you know what's real and fake. Then, if you like our offer, you can save some time posting on eBay, if not, there's no obligation.

That's not Runescape music I play Runescape lol

@rslerch1113 I was certain it was a runescape song lmfao i used to play when I was younger and it had me feeling nostalgic

Density is a great way to get an idea if an item is gold or not. The main problem with this method is that you have to be very accurate and most people don't have a way to measure volume accurately at home. If you have access to a graduated cylinder and an accurate scale (or a specific gravity set-up) that can be a strong indicator if the item is gold or not. In our experience we have seen many counterfeits made with high density but low cost materials like Tungsten which has a very similar density to gold and then gold plated on top.