How to distinguish white gold from silver?

Silver and white gold are some of the most popular metals for jewelry making. Outwardly, they are very similar, and therefore the question often arises of how to distinguish one from the other. And this can be done in several ways, which will be discussed in the article.

It is possible to get gold or silver in its pure form only in laboratory conditions. Natural nuggets are very rich in impurities and are very soft.

By mixing different components, you can get white gold. In addition to the classic yellow metal, it contains silver, platinum, nickel, zinc, palladium. Zinc and nickel are rarely added as they can cause allergies if the jewelry is worn for too long.

Silver has several advantages, the main one being its affordable price. Given the large selection, you can always find exactly the product you want. In addition, this metal is believed to have medicinal properties. It relieves stress, heals and cleanses a person.

But, in addition to its advantages, this metal has a significant disadvantage, namely, darkening (oxidation). Because of this, wearing it every day will not work, at least during illness or stressful situations. But if there is a desire to wear it constantly, then you will have to clean the product very often.This can be done both with folk remedies and with special ready-made compounds that are sold in every jewelry salon.

Compared to silver, white gold does not need constant cleaning and can be worn all the time.

Silver and white gold can be recognized by eye by placing both of these metals in front of you and looking at them properly. So you can see small differences. The first is that the alloy of white gold includes a ligature, which gives the metal a more distinct white luster, which silver does not have. This method of verification is simple, but not always relevant, because it is applicable only to products uncoated with radium, which gives silver a bright white color.

White gold looks like it has a shiny lacquer coating, while silver has a matte finish. Gold has many subtle differences that are not typical of silver. Even if these 2 metals are absolutely similar in bright lighting of the store counters and, at first glance, do not differ, then when you change the light or simply put it on your hand, the difference becomes obvious.

Silver alloy is always softer than gold. The latter, in turn, is much stronger and tougher. Thanks to this fact, it is possible to determine the metal from which a certain product is made. For this all you need is a piece of paper and a specific piece of jewelry to identify. The hard gold alloy will not harm soft paper and the surface will remain white. If the item is made of silver, then its soft alloy will leave a mark on the sheet of paper.

When you have a certain product in your hands, and you want to make sure of its quality, then this can be done at home in several ways. To do this, you will need a second piece of jewelry made of the required metal to see the differences in reactions.

For the next experiment, you will need regular iodine. You need to apply a small amount of this product to the product. If a dark spot remains on it, this will be evidence that you have real gold in front of you, since iodine is one of the few substances with which this precious metal reacts.

This method is relevant for metals of different hardness, since you need to hear a clear difference in sounds or have perfect pitch. To do this experiment, you need to throw the piece of jewelry onto a hard surface. Silver will make a dull sound, and gold will make a ringing sound.

To hear the difference better, you need jewelry without stones and the same weight. The surface must be firm. Best of all, if it is a ceramic countertop, glass, tiles.

Gold is not afraid of acid baths, while silver, on the contrary, does not like them very much. The fundamental difference between these two metals is inertness. Gold is a more inert metal and does not react even with acids.

An acid solution will help to determine what kind of metal is in front of us. This experiment will require vinegar and some specific decoration. We place the product in acid. The silver will immediately change color. If the accessory has not changed color, then it is real gold. If the solution becomes cloudy, but the product remains the same, then this is a fake.

The next substance that can affect both metals is chlorine.Bleach that contains chlorine is perfect for this experiment. If a small amount of the substance is applied to the product, then the silver will darken in a minute, and the gold will not change its color.

You can check gold by its density. Metal 585 has a density value of 13 g / cm3, and silver has a value of 10-10.5 g / cm3. The density of 750-carat gold is 15.5 g / cm3.

Having at hand the product itself without stone inserts and empty spaces, as well as kitchen scales, you can determine the density of a specific product. To do this, you first need to weigh the accessory on a scale, and then immerse it in water, but only so that it does not touch the container itself, and calculate the volume. Next, you need to divide the first number by the second - and you get the density.

In order not to think about the coatings and not to doubt that you are right, it is best to look at the sample. Each piece of jewelry has its own test, thanks to which you will be able to determine exactly what kind of product it is.

Each metal has its own special form of hallmarks, with the exception of some samples. The stamp of silver looks like a barrel, and the most popular value of the sample is 925. Gold has a stamp in the shape of a rectangle, and sometimes it can be in the shape of a spade. The standard in these cases will be 585, and if the product is decorated with stones, then 750.

If you do not want to delve into all the subtleties of the difference between the described metals and will not conduct experiments at home, but nevertheless, you need to buy a quality item, then use these simple tips to help you when choosing jewelry.

• Purchase goods only in large jewelry stores with a long-term successful reputation. In such establishments, there is very little chance of running into a fake or low-quality product.
• Handcrafted products are much more difficult to counterfeit than factory stamped products, although they are much more expensive. Such a product is considered a real exclusive.
• Take a magnifying glass with you - it will help you see the sample on the product, since it is not always possible to see and understand the shape of the mark.

To learn how to distinguish white gold from silver, see the next video.