Welcome to 65 Second Tutorials!
This video is meant to remove all the "fluff" you see on other channels and actually show you "How To". Because of the short format, this video is stripped down and pretty basic.
Below is a more in depth breakdown of today's video.
Gold test kits are essentially bottles of Nitric Acid broken down into different strengths to test the purity of gold.
Your test kit should come with bottles marked -
10KT
14KT
18KT
22KT
Platinum
Silver
Today we are focused on just gold. You can test for Silver and Platinum as well with the other bottles in your kit. That process is completely different. This tutorial is for GOLD ONLY.
Gold test kits work by marking a testing stone with an unknown metal and applying Nitric Acid. When the Acid is applied, it will dissolve the mark of any item that isn't gold. Or gold that is below the purity noted on the bottle.
Please remember you are working with chemicals. Make sure you're gloved up.
First, check the material for any hallmarks. It will help us determine which bottle to start with.
My ring is marked 10k and my chain is NOT marked. Each test kit will come with different bottles to test the purity of your suspected gold. I ALWAYS start with the lowest purity and move up.
Take the unknown material and lightly rub it on the testing stone. It should leave behind a mark. Be careful not rub too hard, it can damage your jewelry.
Apply the acid slowly and let it sit for about 30-50 seconds before checking. If you see the acid completely dissolve the metal on your stone, it is NOT gold. If the metal sticks around, you know that the metal is AT LEAST the purity you started with (10k)
After waiting, I can see my chain mark dissolved and my ring mark did not. I now know my ring is 10k and my chain is fake. You can now repeat the process moving up to each purity level until the gold dissolves. Once it dissolves, you know the purity is below the number on the bottle.
For example, if you apply 10k and it doesn't dissolve, but dissolves completely when you apply 14k, your gold is somewhere in between 10k and 14k and should be assumed the lower purity - 10k.
To clean your testing stone, simply grab the bottle of 22k solution, apply a small amount and wipe off. Nitric Acid is a cheap way to test the purity of your metal, but please remember it isn't foolproof. When in doubt, always take your jewelry to a professional.
Thanks for watching!
