How to Tell if Gold Is Real: 7 Easy Tests (and 4 to Skip)
Vazgen Martirosov
A little gold pendant has been sitting at the back of your drawer for years. It was your grandmother's; she wore it every Sunday. Today you hold it up to the window and finally ask the question: is this real gold, or has it been a very convincing guest all this time?
Quick answer: how to tell if gold is real starts with the small stamp. Look for a karat or fineness mark such as 14K / 585 or 18K / 750, then check for wear, colour changes and a magnet reaction. Those home checks can warn you about fake or plated gold, but only a jeweller's acid test, an XRF scan or an assay office can prove what's inside. Below: the 7 checks worth doing, the "tests" to skip (yes, including toothpaste), how to tell if a necklace is real gold, and how we make sure our own Virgin Mary necklaces and Tree of Life pendants are exactly what we say they are. Let's find out, without ruining anything.
How to tell if gold is real: start with the stamp
Almost every piece of real gold jewellery carries a tiny mark that tells you its purity. On a ring it sits inside the band. On a necklace or bracelet it's usually on the clasp, or on a small tag next to it. You'll need good light and, ideally, a loupe or your phone's camera zoom.
| Stamp | What it means | Gold content |
|---|---|---|
| 9K / 375 | Real gold, lowest common karat | 37.5% |
| 14K / 585 | Real gold, the everyday favourite | 58.5% |
| 18K / 750 | Real gold, richer colour | 75% |
| 22K / 916 | Real gold, very soft | 91.6% |
| GP, GEP, HGE, RGP | Gold plated: a thin layer over another metal | Very little |
| GF or 1/20 12K GF | Gold filled: a thicker layer bonded to a base metal | A few percent |
| 925 (on gold colour) | Sterling silver, often gold plated (vermeil) | None or a coating |
A stamp is a strong clue, not a guarantee, because fakes can be stamped too. That's where an official hallmark matters. In the Netherlands, for example, gold objects of 1 gram and more must carry a hallmark from a recognised assay office before they can be sold as gold, and items that are only plated may not be called gold at all. The Dutch government's guide to assaying gold objects explains the rules, and the London Assay Office shows what a full hallmark looks like.
No stamp at all? Don't panic. Very old pieces, handmade pieces and items that were resized can lose or never have a mark. It just means you'll need one of the tests below, or a professional.
How to test gold at home: 7 checks that actually help
If you want to know how to test gold at home without damaging anything, these are the checks jewellers themselves start with. None of them is proof on its own. Together, they paint a pretty honest picture.
1. Check the wear points
Look at the places that rub the most: the clasp, the inside of a ring band, the edges of a pendant's bail. If you see a different colour peeking through, usually reddish copper, grey or silver, the piece is plated. Solid gold is the same colour all the way through, so wear never reveals a "second metal".
2. Try a strong magnet
Gold isn't magnetic. If a piece jumps to a strong magnet (a fridge magnet is too weak; a small neodymium magnet works), it's not solid gold, or it has a steel core or clasp spring. A piece that ignores the magnet passes this test, but so do brass, copper and aluminium, so it only rules fakes out, never real gold in.
3. Feel the weight
Gold is one of the heaviest metals there is. Pure gold is about 19.3 times heavier than the same volume of water, and 14K gold is still around 13 times. A real gold chain feels surprisingly heavy for its size; a hollow or plated one feels light, almost hollow. Comparing it with a piece you know is real is the best way to "feel" the difference.
4. Look at the colour, honestly
Real yellow gold has a soft, warm glow. Very bright, brassy or "too yellow" colour, especially on a cheap chain, is a warning sign. White gold is a different story: it's usually rhodium plated, so it looks bright and white on purpose. Our guide to white gold vs yellow gold explains why.
5. Check your skin
Solid 14K or 18K gold rarely leaves a mark. If a ring or chain turns your skin green or black after a day of wear, that's usually copper or another base metal reacting with sweat, a common sign of plated or fake gold. (Make-up and some lotions can leave dark marks with real gold too, so this is another clue, not proof.)
6. Read the small print
Next to the purity mark you may find a maker's mark, or letters like "GP" hidden after the number. "14K GP" means 14K gold plated, not 14K gold. It's a sneaky one, so read the whole stamp.
7. Check the paperwork
Receipts, certificates and the seller's own description count. A reputable jeweller will state the metal and karat clearly, and will be happy for you to have the piece tested.
Gold tests to skip (including the toothpaste test)
When people search how to tell if gold is real, the internet answers with plenty of home "tests" that sound clever and either prove nothing or damage your jewellery. Here are the usual suspects:
- The toothpaste test. Searching how to test gold at home with toothpaste? The idea is that real gold won't change colour when rubbed with toothpaste. In reality, toothpaste is mildly abrasive: it can scratch a soft gold surface and polish off plating, and it can't tell you the karat. Skip it.
- The float (water) test. Real gold sinks, but so does almost every metal object. Sinking doesn't prove anything, and a hollow real gold piece can still trap air. GIA's study of gold testing methods found that density testing, done properly with lab equipment, was the least suitable method of the four compared.
- The bite test. It works in old films. In real life it dents soft gold and is bad for your teeth.
- Vinegar, bleach or a ceramic scratch. These can discolour, etch or scratch your piece and still give unclear results.
How to tell if gold is real: myth or fact?
Tap each statement to see the answer.
Real gold always has a stamp.
Myth. Old, handmade or resized pieces can be unmarked and still be real gold. And a stamp can be faked, which is why an official hallmark from an assay office matters.
If a magnet doesn't stick, it's real gold.
Myth. Gold isn't magnetic, but neither are brass, copper or aluminium. The magnet test can only show you a fake, not prove real gold.
Real gold sinks in water.
Fact, but it doesn't help. Most metals sink, so the water test can't tell real gold from a fake.
Toothpaste can tell you if gold is real.
Myth. Toothpaste is abrasive: it can scratch gold and rub off plating, and it gives no reliable answer.
An assay office can test my jewellery.
Fact. Assay offices test the precious metal content and, where the law requires it, apply an official hallmark. It's the most trustworthy answer you can get.
How to tell if a necklace is real gold
Necklaces are the most common pieces people ask us about, and the easiest to get wrong, because the chain, the clasp and the pendant can each be made of something different. Here's how to tell if a necklace is real gold, step by step:
- Find the tag. Look on the clasp and on the small ring or tag beside it for 14K, 585, 18K or 750. If only the pendant is stamped, the chain may be a different metal.
- Check the clasp and links for wear. These rub the most, so plating wears through here first.
- Feel the weight. A real gold necklace has a satisfying weight for its size. A thick chain that feels feather-light is often hollow or plated.
- Look closely at the links. Solid gold chains have clean, even links and neat soldering. Flaking, bubbling or colour changes between links are warning signs.
- Test the clasp spring separately. Many real gold clasps have a tiny steel spring inside, so a magnet may pull slightly on the clasp only. That's normal.
Buying a real gold necklace for women as a gift? Ask the seller three things: the karat, whether the chain is solid or hollow, and whether the piece can be tested. A good jeweller answers all three without blinking.
The tests that actually prove it
When you need a real answer, for insurance, resale or simple peace of mind, these are the methods professionals use:
| Method | How it works | Damage? |
|---|---|---|
| Acid (touchstone) test | The piece is rubbed on a stone and tested with acids of known strength | Tiny mark, usually hidden |
| XRF scan | X-rays read the surface metal content in seconds | None |
| Fire assay | A small sample is melted and measured; the most accurate method | Takes a sample |
The GIA explains the touchstone method step by step: it works because the purer the gold, the stronger the acid needed to dissolve it. GIA's research on methods for determining gold content also found that acid testing, electronic testers and XRF were all useful within limits, which is why serious buyers often combine more than one. A fire assay at an assay office is the gold standard (sorry).
Why real gold is worth the check
Real gold doesn't rust, doesn't turn your skin green, and keeps its value for generations. Plated jewellery can look identical in a photo, but the gold layer wears away, sometimes within months. That's why it pays to know how to test gold before you buy, and especially before you sell. If you're deciding between karats, our guide to 14K vs 18K gold explains what the numbers mean for durability and price.
Real gold, made for you
We've been making jewellery in our workshop in Yerevan, Armenia, since 2010, and every piece we sell is solid 14K or 18K gold, in yellow or white. Our Virgin Mary pendant necklaces come in five stone colours, such as green and light blue, and our Tree of Life pendant comes in yellow gold and white gold. Each one is handmade to order. And you never have to take our word for it: you're welcome to have any of our pieces tested at an assay office, including every custom piece we make from your photo. Curious about the meaning behind them? Read the stories of our Tree of Life pendant and our Virgin Mary necklace.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to tell if gold is real?
Look for a purity stamp such as 14K / 585 or 18K / 750, then check the clasp and edges for worn-through colour. For a certain answer, ask a jeweller for an acid or XRF test, or use an assay office.
Does real gold stick to a magnet?
No. Gold isn't magnetic, so a piece that's strongly pulled by a magnet isn't solid gold. A small pull on a clasp can be the steel spring inside, which is normal.
Can real gold be unstamped?
Yes. Antique, handmade or resized pieces can lose their stamp or never have one. Unmarked jewellery needs a professional test to confirm the metal.
What does 585 mean on gold?
It means the piece is 58.5% pure gold, which is 14K gold. 750 means 75% gold (18K) and 375 means 37.5% (9K).
Does real gold tarnish?
Pure gold doesn't tarnish, and solid 14K or 18K gold stays bright with a simple clean. A light film from lotion or perfume washes off with warm water and mild soap.
Is gold-plated jewellery real gold?
Only on the surface. Gold-plated pieces have a very thin gold layer over another metal, which wears off with time. They can't legally be sold as "gold" in many countries.
Back to the drawer
So, that little pendant from the back of the drawer. Knowing how to tell if gold is real comes down to a few calm steps: check the clasp for a stamp, look at the edges for a second colour, try a magnet, and feel its weight in your palm. If it passes, take it to a jeweller or an assay office for the final word. Real or not, it's still your grandmother's Sunday pendant, but now you'll know exactly what you're holding.
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Questions about our gold? Read our story or browse all gold necklaces and pendants.