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How to Find Out If 14 Karat Italian Gold Is Real

There are some common misconceptions on the characteristics of gold jewelery. Real gold does not necessarily have to have a karat symbol engraved on it. A "real jeweler" can't simply look at a piece of gold and tell you if it's real or not. And if a piece of gold is low enough in its karat, such tests as malleability (the ability to shape the gold) aren't adequate, since there are other metals that may decrease the malleability of the piece. There are, fortunately, scientific tests that you can use to test if a piece of gold is, in fact, real.

Things You'll Need

Gold
File
Protective gloves
Protective goggles
Nitric acid
Small plastic stick

Instructions

- 1
  Find a spot on the piece that you're testing that is relatively concealed. File away at the spot so that there's a slight mark or blemish.
- 2
  Apply a tiny drop of nitric to the mark that you created on the gold. Remember to wear protective gloves and goggles when you're working with chemicals. Watch what happens when you apply the acid to the gold. Upon the completion of the reaction, wash off the gold.
- 3
  Note the reaction of the gold. If the gold did not react to the nitric acid, then it is, in fact, real gold. Other reactions can indicate gold plating or base metals.

Rocks & Minerals