The fear of being deceived haunts many people, and this fear is not unfounded. According to statistics, over the past 10 years the production of precious metals has practically not increased, but at the same time the number of jewelry stores is growing at an incredible pace. Alas, even when buying jewelry in a jewelry store, there is a chance of running into a low-quality fake. Are you overcome by doubts? Verifying the authenticity of precious metals is available not only to specialists, but to each of us. There are many ways to do this, which can be done at home.

All that glitters is not gold

Only a jeweler who has all the necessary analytical equipment can check a gold item and issue a reliable conclusion as to whether it belongs to a noble metal. Professional verification is carried out by the Assay Office. Examination of gold jewelry is not a cheap pleasure; the price of the service ranges from 10 to 20% of the estimated value of the product. They are counterfeiting more and more often, and no one wants to waste money. By the way, the need to check gold for authenticity may arise not only in relation to jewelry, but also, for example, when purchasing bars or nuggets.

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The most difficult type of counterfeit to independently identify gold is a piece of jewelry on which a thin layer of precious metal is applied. It is extremely difficult to determine the authenticity of such work at home without causing damage to the product.

The most common methods of counterfeiting gold items:

• surface gilding;
• replacement with copper;
• alloys of aluminum and other metals;
• an alloy of titanium and gold.

Fake jewelry made from alloys similar in color to gold leave spots on the skin with a green tint, especially when the ring is worn for a long time. The substitution of less valuable metal alloys for gold by others or similar deposition can be determined using well-known methods.

The first stage is checking gold by comparison. Surely you have a piece of jewelry whose authenticity you have no doubt about. A line should be drawn on a hard object with these two decorations. Gold items will leave the same mark, but if there are differences, this is a direct reason to doubt the quality.

Using a magnifying glass, look closely at the mark, which should reflect the gold standard. It should be clear and without damage.

The cost of a gram of gold changes daily, however, you should rely on it when purchasing jewelry, even if it is not purchased in a store.

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There is also an opinion that sound helps to identify a copy. Gold items emit a crystal ringing sound when they hit a hard surface. A dull or any other sound is a cause for concern.

Iodine test

Iodine can change the color of most components that are used to falsify precious metal, but this test is completely harmless for jewelry with a purity above 500 (i.e., which contains more than 50 mass percent gold).

A drop of pharmaceutical alcohol solution of iodine should be applied to the product that is in doubt, and after 10-15 seconds, remove its remains with a napkin. If a trace of iodine remains, then this is not a gold product. Unaltered metal color may indicate authenticity.

Magnet check

Precious metals are not affected by magnets. Steel products coated with a thin layer of gold will instantly be attracted to the surface of a magnet; real gold jewelry will not react to a magnet.

Many manufacturers use lock designs for chains and bracelets that include a steel spring - in this case, the magnet will only attract the lock.

Indifference to a magnet is a necessary condition, but not a sufficient one. For example, most alloys of copper and tin are non-magnetic. However, such products are much lighter: the difference in weight can be felt even without an analytical balance.

Vinegar test

A cheap fake will turn black when exposed to acetic acid. If you lower it into it with a sample above 500, then nothing will happen to it. This is another surefire method of recognizing authenticity. 3-5 minutes is enough to conduct the experiment.

By the tooth

You've probably seen in films how the main characters tried a gold coin "by tooth." This method is only suitable for high-grade gold (whiter than 900), which is relatively soft. On such gold, teeth marks will definitely remain, since its hardness is much lower than that of other metals.

Determining the authenticity of gold using analytical instruments

Instant identification of metal components at home is possible using a special device called a metal analyzer. The result is displayed on the screen within 2-3 seconds. To obtain it, you need to point the device at the object under study. The analyzer is widely used by precious metal miners.

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In order not to doubt the authenticity of gold jewelry, you should choose the right place to purchase it. Jewelry stores and pawn shops are selling points for real precious metals. Buying second hand is always a risk.

Authentication of platinum jewelry: your own expert

Platinum is a precious metal used in jewelry making. The silver-white metal gained its fame back in the 18th century, but only in our time has it become widely used by jewelers. As a rule, only small jewelry such as rings, earrings and chains are made from platinum. This is due to the high cost of the material.

With the spread of the Internet, purchasing jewelry has become much easier. However, you will not have the opportunity to examine the product before purchasing, which means you may encounter a fake. Many people prefer not to take risks by purchasing jewelry in specialized stores, but even in this case you are not immune from counterfeiting. So how can you independently verify the authenticity of jewelry made from platinum?

Determination of product weight and density

Platinum is a heavy metal, the weight of which is comparable only to iridium, osmium, rhenium and uranium. All other elements are easier. In addition, in the production of jewelry, the specific gravity of platinum ranges from 85% to 95% of the total weight of the product. That is, jewelry is almost 100% made of this noble metal. Products made of gold and silver, for example, contain much less precious metal.

The use of iridium, osmium and rhenium to make jewelry heavier is inappropriate, since these elements have the same cost as platinum, and they are rarely found in nature. Pick up a platinum ring and a similar sized ring made of another metal. A product made of platinum will be heavier than a similar piece of jewelry made from a different alloy.

May 26, 2016 at 12:42 pm PDT

If you have a suitable measuring vessel, you can measure the density of the product. To do this, you need to weigh the precious accessory, and then place it in a bowl of water and determine the volume of displaced liquid in cubic centimeters. After this, the weight of the decoration in grams should be divided by the value of the water displaced by it in cubic centimeters. The resulting value should be close to the number 21.45. In this case, we can say with complete confidence that the platinum jewelry is genuine.

Use of chemicals

• Iodine. Take regular medical iodine and drop it on a platinum product. The drop must have a dark color; only in this case can we talk about the authenticity of the noble metal. The darker it is, the higher the standard of the jewelry. There should be no streaks left on the accessory. Also, no stains will remain from acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide.
• Ammonia. All precious metals except platinum react to the effects of this substance. Only it does not turn black and does not react with ammonia.
• Nitric and hydrochloric acid. These chemicals should be mixed in a 1:3 ratio to obtain aqua regia. When heated, this mixture will slowly dissolve the platinum product. When cold, no changes will occur.

How to distinguish platinum from silver

Silver is much cheaper than platinum, so some careless manufacturers sell silver products under the guise of an expensive precious metal. To distinguish a fake, you first need to consider the color of the precious jewelry. Platinum is a lighter metal, while silver has a gray tint. In addition, due to the high cost of platinum, large items are not made from it. If you are offered a massive chain at a bargain price, then most likely they are trying to deceive you by selling a silver accessory.

You can try both products on your teeth. There will be nothing left on the platinum, while there will be a slight mark on the silver. This is due to the fact that platinum has a higher density. In addition, these elements enter into chemical reactions in different ways, for example with hydrogen sulfide. At home, you can use a rotten egg, on which you should place jewelry made of two metals in turn. Silver will turn black under the influence of hydrogen sulfide, but nothing will happen to platinum.

Heating the product

Platinum is a refractory metal, so it cannot be melted with a regular lighter, the flame of a stove or a gas burner. Platinum jewelry will not change color even with strong heat. By the way, platinum has a rather low thermal conductivity, which means that a product made from it will heat up longer than, for example, silver and gold, but it is very problematic to draw any conclusions based on this property.

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If you still doubt the authenticity of platinum jewelry, then the best option is to contact a professional. Then you will have no doubts and you will be sure that your jewelry is made of noble metal.

Self-authentication of silver jewelry

Silver is a noble metal, the properties of which were appreciated many centuries ago. Pure silver and its alloys are widely used in the manufacture of jewelry, dishes, cutlery, and instrument making.

Try

The cost of silver is quite high, and, by the way, recently the prices for this metal on world exchanges have been constantly growing. It is not surprising that the number of counterfeits and falsifications is also increasing. When buying silver items, first of all you need to pay attention to the sample. It is quite difficult to fake it: only top-class specialists can make a cliche. On the surface of the product, the sample should be clearly readable, with smooth, clear outlines. The hallmark on Russian-made silver products has the form of a rectangle, inside of which is printed a three-digit number indicating the proportion of chemically pure silver in the product.

The amount of impurities determines the quality of the metal. The most common hallmarks are: 720, 750, 800, 875, 916, 925, 960. Hallmark 720 means that the jewelry alloy contains 72% silver, 750 – 75%, and so on. From this dependence it follows that the higher the sample, the higher the cost of the product.

Alloys 750 and 800 contain a lot of copper, which is why they have a yellowish appearance. Cutlery is usually made from them. Silver of this standard is susceptible to oxidation, so you will have to clean spoons and forks quite often.

High-quality silver used for the production of jewelry has a purity of 925 and higher.

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Authentication

If there is no hallmark on a product passed off as silver, you can ask a jeweler for a determination, for example, take it to a pawnshop and ask for an appraisal. In addition, there are many ways to check the authenticity of an item yourself.

Express methods for determining the authenticity of silver at home

• One sure way is a magnet: silver should not be attracted. However, this test alone is not enough: many alloys that imitate silver also do not have magnetic properties.
• To determine, use sulfur ointment, which can be purchased at any pharmacy. The product should be spread in a thick layer and allowed to sit for a couple of hours. Genuine silver or an alloy with a high content of this precious metal will definitely turn black.
• Iodine test. Under a drop of an alcohol solution of iodine, silver also blackens, and the higher its quality, the stronger. But here you need to act carefully, these manipulations can lead to damage to the item, since it will be very difficult to remove the stain.
• Silver-plated brass or copper is often passed off as silver. You can make a scratch in an inconspicuous place: if a reddish or ginger tint appears on the edges of the cut, it is a fake.
• Silver bends quite easily, and after stopping the impact it does not restore its shape (silver-plated copper and brass have little spring, because they have high elasticity).
• Silver has high thermal conductivity. An item placed in hot water instantly heats up. It also quickly takes on the temperature of the human body.
• When wearing fake jewelry, dark streaks remain on the skin. This indicates the addition of much cheaper zinc. Jewelry made from such alloys is very fragile and often breaks.
• Silver has a specific smell; people with a sensitive sense of smell can determine the authenticity of the product.

All these verification methods are quite superficial and can only be used for a preliminary assessment. Only an expert jeweler can guarantee that the product is made of silver, and not just silver-plated. To ensure 100% authenticity, you will have to make a notch or carry out calculations with specific gravity.

May 28, 2016 at 8:30 PDT

Real silver darkens over time. But this takes years, and besides, its shine can be easily restored. To do this, use a special cream or ammonia. The shine of low-quality products disappears forever.

Silver test

One of the most accurate methods for determining the authenticity of silver at home is a silver test, which can be purchased in specialized stores or online. By following simple instructions, with a high degree of probability you can determine not only the authenticity of the product, but also the approximate sample.

There are electronic devices that can distinguish silver, gold, white gold, and platinum. However, their cost is so high that purchasing them for the purpose of one-time determination of precious metals at home is not economically justified.

Finally

Counterfeiting precious metals is one of the most common methods of fraud. The increase in the number of falsifications is explained by the high income of fraudsters and the difficulty of suppressing activities of this kind. That is why you need to approach your purchase seriously. Only specialized stores that work directly with manufacturers can guarantee the safety and quality of products made from precious metals.

19 November 2014, 17:18

Probably everyone had to hold in their hands a piece of jewelry or another object, obviously metal. But how can you determine what metal is used in production? It could be a precious material or a counterfeit, or even a trinket with no claims to value. Expertise from specialists will give you the exact answer, but it is not free. But there are methods for approximately determining the type of metal at home. They were used a long time ago, but they have not lost their relevance in our time.

Bringing a magnet close to the item being tested is a good way to perform initial testing. By the reaction of the magnet you can determine which group the metal belongs to:

1. Ferromagnets. The magnet is clearly attracted to the object, which means that the product may contain iron, steel or nickel.
2. Paramagnetic materials. The interaction with the magnet is very weak. This group includes aluminum and chrome. Among the precious metals that are paramagnetic are platinum and silver.
3. Diamagnets. In general, they do not react to magnets. Copper and zinc have these properties. Precious metals - gold.

Of course, such a check will not allow us to accurately determine the material from which the item is made. After all, a non-magnetic metal may not be in its pure form, but in the form of an alloy with a ferromagnet. But it can confirm or refute the assumption. For example, if it is checked whether it is gold or not, but the item is clearly magnetic, then it can be argued that it is a fake.

When checking jewelry, you should take into account that, in addition to precious metals, they may contain clasps, built-in springs, made of another material. You need to check the metal itself.

Heat check

You can also determine the group of a metal by how it conducts heat. It is known that the thermal conductivity of silver is very high. It is almost five times higher than that of iron or platinum. Slightly worse - for gold, copper and aluminum. Platinum transfers heat even weaker than iron.

If you immerse the metal in hot water for 15–20 seconds, then based on its temperature, determined by touch, you can draw some conclusions.

1. Gold and silver objects will become as hot as the water in which they were dipped.
2. During this time, platinum and items containing iron will become warm, but not hot.

In this way it is easy to distinguish platinum from silver. But it’s not possible to compare silver or aluminum alloy.

Iodine test

You can check the authenticity of the metal using an iodine solution purchased at a pharmacy. A drop of iodine is applied to the surface and left for several seconds. Iodine will not harm noble metals - gold, platinum, silver. If the color of a drop of iodine does not change, and after removing it with a napkin, no traces or stains remain, this indicates the authenticity of the metal. If darkening is visible at the place of the drop, then this is a low-grade alloy or an outright fake.

Vinegar test

Household vinegar solution also does not affect precious metals. And it is dangerous for counterfeits. But, unlike the iodine test, acetic acid takes time. To wait for the result, you need to immerse the metal being tested in a container with vinegar for 15–30 minutes. The absence of traces of interaction between metal and vinegar is a sign of nobility.

If, in addition to metal, the product contains precious or semi-precious stones, then it is better not to check them this way; vinegar can ruin them. This is especially true for pearls.

Dental check

From novels and films we know that they used to test the authenticity of gold coins by biting them. What exactly can be installed in this “old-fashioned” way? Gold is a soft metal. Therefore, even with a weak bite, a dent from the teeth remains on it. Fake alloys do not have this property; you cannot take them with your teeth.

Such a test gives good results for high-quality products. The higher the pure gold content, the softer it is. Gold of 900 purity and higher is so soft that they try not to expose valuable items made from it to contact with other objects.

Expert opinion

Sidorenko Alexander

Antiques appraiser, numismatist

This is how you can compare platinum and silver. The latter does not have the softness of gold, but a strong bite may leave a small dent. It is impossible to leave marks with teeth on real platinum.

Application of chemicals

Testing with active chemical reagents should be left as a last resort. If handled improperly, they will damage even genuine precious metal. And they can be dangerous for the health of the inspector.

Ammonia

Pure gold does not react to ammonia. But practically no products intended for use are made from gold 900 and 999, only for collections. And on a precious metal of lesser purity, ammonia can leave an irremovable mark. Its solution in combination with other substances is used to clean gold items. Therefore, it is not worth identifying gold and silver items using ammonia.

Platinum products are usually produced with a high purity. Therefore, you can check the authenticity of platinum with ammonia. This chemical will not leave a mark on her.

Nitric and hydrochloric acids

Separately, these acids do not affect high-grade gold and platinum. And if you mix their concentrated solutions in a ratio of 1:3, you get a mixture called aqua regia. It can even dissolve gold. Aqua regia does not “take on” platinum when it is cold. This precious metal will gradually dissolve in the heated mixture.

Oddly enough, royal vodka is not afraid of genuine silver. It reacts to it by forming silver chloride in the form of a thin film on the surface. The latter protects the product itself from destruction.

Density check

One of the reliable ways to determine the type of metal or alloy is to determine its density. For pure gold it is two times higher than for copper and almost three times higher than for iron. Platinum is even heavier than gold. Even an alloy of 585 gold is noticeably heavier than base metals.

Of course, to determine the exact density of a small product you will need pharmaceutical scales, volume calculations (Archimedes' law to help) and tabular data on the density of base metals. But to solve the question of what the alloy is mainly made of, gold or another metal, rough estimates are sufficient. If you have at hand an object made of obviously genuine metal of approximately equal volume, then you may not even need a scale. A weight difference of two to three times is not so difficult to detect.

Separately, each of the considered methods will not give an exact answer to the question of what metal the product is made of. But if several different tests show the same results, you can be confident in the correct determination. If not, then you will have to turn to professionals.

Dmitry Mendeleev was able to create a unique table of chemical elements, the main advantage of which was periodicity. Metals and non-metals are arranged in the periodic table in such a way that their properties change in a periodic manner.

The periodic table was compiled by Dmitri Mendeleev in the second half of the 19th century. The discovery not only simplified the work of chemists, it was able to combine all the discovered chemical substances in a single system, and also predict future discoveries.

The creation of this structured system is invaluable for science and for humanity as a whole. It was this discovery that gave impetus to the development of all chemistry for many years.

Interesting to know! There is a legend that a scientist dreamed of the finished system.

In an interview with one journalist, the scientist explained that he had been working on it for 25 years and the fact that he dreamed about it was quite natural, but this does not mean that all the answers came in the dream.

The system created by Mendeleev is divided into two parts:

• periods - horizontal columns in one or two lines (rows);
• groups - vertical lines, in one row.

There are 7 periods in total in the system, each subsequent element differs from the previous one by a large number of electrons in the nucleus, i.e. the nuclear charge of each right indicator is greater than the left one by one. Each period begins with a metal and ends with an inert gas - this is precisely the periodicity of the table, because the properties of compounds change within one period and are repeated in the next. At the same time, it should be remembered that periods 1-3 are incomplete or small, they have only 2, 8 and 8 representatives. In the full period (i.e., the remaining four) there are 18 chemical representatives.

The group contains chemical compounds with the same highest value, i.e. they have the same electronic structure. In total, the system contains 18 groups (full version), each of which begins with alkali and ends with an inert gas. All substances presented in the system can be divided into two main groups - metal or non-metal.

To make searching easier, the groups have their own name, and the metallic properties of the substances increase with each lower line, i.e. the lower the compound, the more atomic orbits it will have and the weaker the electronic bonds. The crystal lattice also changes - it becomes pronounced in elements with a large number of atomic orbits.

There are three types of tables used in chemistry:

1. Short – actinides and lanthanides are moved outside the main field, and 4 and all subsequent periods occupy 2 lines.
2. Long - in it the actinides and lanthanides are moved beyond the boundary of the main field.
3. Extra-long – each period takes exactly 1 line.

The main one is considered to be the periodic table that was officially accepted and confirmed, but for convenience, the short version is often used. Metals and non-metals in the periodic table are arranged according to strict rules that make working with it easier.

Metals in the periodic table

In the Mendeleev system, alloys have a predominant number and the list of them is very large - they start with Boron (B) and end with polonium (Po) (the exceptions are germanium (Ge) and antimony (Sb)). This group has characteristic features; they are divided into groups, but their properties are heterogeneous. Their characteristic features:

• plastic;
• electrical conductivity;
• shine;
• easy release of electrons;
• ductility;
• thermal conductivity;
• hardness (except mercury).

Due to the different chemical and physical essence, the properties may differ significantly between two representatives of this group; not all of them are similar to typical natural alloys, for example, mercury is a liquid substance, but it belongs to this group.

In its normal state, it is liquid and without a crystal lattice, which plays a key role in alloys. Only chemical characteristics make mercury similar to this group of elements, despite the conventionality of the properties of these organic compounds. The same applies to cesium, the softest alloy, but it cannot exist in nature in its pure form.

Some elements of this type can exist only for a fraction of a second, and some are not found in nature at all - they were created in artificial laboratory conditions. Each of the groups of metals in the system has its own name and characteristics that distinguish them from other groups.

However, their differences are quite significant. In the periodic table, all metals are arranged according to the number of electrons in the nucleus, i.e. by increasing atomic mass. Moreover, they are characterized by periodic changes in their characteristic properties. Because of this, they are not placed neatly in the table and may not be placed correctly.

In the first group of alkalis there are no substances that would be found in pure form in nature - they can only exist as part of various compounds.

How to distinguish a metal from a non-metal?

How to determine the metal in a compound? There is a simple way to determine it, but for this you need to have a ruler and a periodic table. To determine you need:

1. Draw a conditional line along the junctions of the elements from Bor to Polonium (possibly to Astat).
2. All materials that will be on the left of the line and in the side subgroups are metal.
3. The substances on the right are of a different type.

However, the method has a flaw - it does not include Germanium and Antimony in the group and only works in a long table. The method can be used as a cheat sheet, but in order to accurately determine the substance, you should remember the list of all non-metals. How many are there in total? Few - only 22 substances.

In any case, to determine the nature of a substance it is necessary to consider it separately. It will be easy to find elements if you know their properties. It is important to remember that all metals:

1. At room temperature they are solid, with the exception of mercury. At the same time, they shine and conduct electricity well.
2. They have fewer atoms at the outer level of the nucleus.
3. They consist of a crystal lattice (except mercury), and all other elements have a molecular or ionic structure.
4. In the periodic table, all nonmetals are red, metals are black and green.
5. If you move from left to right in a period, the charge of the nucleus of the substance will increase.
6. Some substances have weakly expressed properties, but they still have characteristic features. Such elements are classified as semimetals, such as Polonium or Antimony, and are usually located at the boundary of the two groups.

Attention! In the lower left part of the block in the system there are always typical metals, and in the upper right - typical gases and liquids.

It is important to remember that when moving in the table from top to bottom, the non-metallic properties of substances become stronger, since elements that have distant outer shells are located there. Their nucleus is separated from the electrons and therefore they attract weaker.

Useful video

Let's sum it up

It will be easy to distinguish elements if you know the basic principles of the formation of the periodic table and the properties of metals. It will also be useful to remember the list of the remaining 22 elements. But we must not forget that any element in a compound should be considered separately, without taking into account its connections with other substances.

In contact with

Today, many owners of private houses are trying to make the most of their own capabilities. We are talking about organizing a workshop. The presence of even a primitive lathe will allow you to produce a wide variety of parts for a wide variety of purposes. In any case, repairing garden equipment or even your own car will become much easier.

Meanwhile, savings can be achieved by purchasing metal raw materials on the most favorable terms. Today on the Internet you can find the most attractive prices for aluminum rods. Many people purchase metal for further use at scrap metal sites. Here the question arises - how to distinguish ferrous metal from non-ferrous metal?

Surveys show that the average person cannot answer this question. The essence of the answer lies in the composition of the metals.

Ferrous metals contain an admixture of iron. Therefore, ferrous metal can be determined using an ordinary magnet. If it sticks to a metal part or workpiece, we can say with confidence that it is made of ferrous metal.

However, there are exceptions to any rule. Nickel also attracts a magnet, although it is considered exclusively non-ferrous metals. Additionally, the magnet rule does not apply to some metal alloys.

These include stainless steel.

These can safely be attributed to:

• aluminum;
• copper;
• brass;
• bronze

However, there is an easier way to identify ferrous metal. If you purchase metal at a dealer (reception point), it is very likely that it is located in the open air.

We are talking about the fact that the metal is affected by precipitation. This means that it is in no way protected from corrosion. Consequently, ferrous metals immediately begin to become covered with rust.

Non-ferrous metals are a priori not subject to corrosion (under the influence of the environment). They are protected by an invisible oxide film that appears on the surface.

The video explains how to recognize metal (non-ferrous or ferrous):