Let's say you have a piece of jewelry that was idle for several years, inherited it, or you just found it somewhere. And you really want to know what kind of metal it is made of silver or white gold. However, curiosity is not a vice, especially the product of white gold can be successfully "attached" in a pawnshop.
If you do not want to carry the jewelry to the jeweler, you can conduct a number of experiments. They are in some ways radical, and you spend them at your own risk, but such methods also have the right to life.
Read : How to identify a sample of gold
The first method is quite simple. All it needs is decoration and a needle. It is necessary to carefully and purposefully scratch the product. It is desirable to do it from the inside, so that then it was not so noticeable. If the decoration is made of silver, the accessory will remain scratched, as it is a softer metal. But gold bends much worse, because it is more solid. On the decoration of white gold scratches, most likely, will not be. Why "most likely"? Because the result of the experiment still depends on the force of pressing and sharpness of the needle.
read also : How to identify a sample of gold at home
The second way is to apply a droplet of the chlorine-containing substance to a small area. For example, bleach or iodine. The gold jewelry will remain the same as it was, and silver will be painted immediately.
For the third experiment you need to take a glass, where in equal proportions mixed water and table vinegar. Dip the jewelry literally for a couple of minutes in a container, then take out and wipe dry. If the color of the decoration has not changed, then in front of you white gold. But if the shade has become more gray, the product is made of silver. The fact is, silver is more sensitive to acidic environment than gold. It oxidizes, turns black and loses its luster. That is why silver jewelry needs more careful care - they need to be regularly cleaned and polished.
The fourth method does not harm the decoration, so it is considered the most gentle. This experiment will require a piece of jewelry and a piece of white paper. All you need is to carry out the decoration on the paper, as if you draw a line for them. If there is a weak grayish trace on the paper, the product is made of silver, and if the sheet remained clean - from gold. Why is that? The fact is that the silver alloy is softer than gold, and it literally remains on paper even with a soft press.
Visual differences are not too obvious, but if you look closely, you can see the difference in the shades of these two metals. The silver product will be more steel, and white gold - white. Here you, however, can "prevent" the birth - a thin layer of special "protection" on the decorations, applied to improve their both physical and decorative properties: after such processing, the differences in color of the two metals are almost invisible. There is also a way out: to examine the "insides" of the product - the color of untreated areas can bring you closer to the truth.
read also : white gold How to identify white gold from silver and other metals
Suppose you decide by all means to determine the origin of the jewelry, which was lying in your house "without a case" for several years in a row or inherited. The following methods are more radical, and you can't spend them in the jewelry salon, but if you've got the spirit of the experimenter, they're also entitled to life.
At home, it is easy to carry out a check, but it is risky. The first way: comparison by the parameters of resistance to deformation. Silver is softer, and the purposeful mechanical impact will not pass for it without a trace: on the surface of the product may remain a small scratch. Gold is much worse bent and almost does not deform under the low influence of external force.
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Method two: a drop of chlorine is applied to a small area of decoration on the inside. You can use the ordinary "Whiteness" for want - iodine. The gold jewelry will come out "dry out of the water" and will not be painted; silver - will be painted at once.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHITE GOLD AND SILVER
Sometimes even experts find it difficult to evaluate a jewelry and determine what material it is made of. Silver, white gold and platinum in appearance are very similar - it's a fact. If there is such a metal as white gold, why do we need silver? Because they are very different.
The answer to the question is what distinguishes silver from white gold.
Silver is the whitest of natural precious metals. It is often used to make different types of jewelry. It has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity, and therefore is well-processed.
In its purest form, this jewelry material is not used because of its softness, but only its alloys. Therefore, instead of the 999 sample,:
925 contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper;
958 is a standard introduced in England in the 17th century - 95.8% silver and 4.2% copper.
Oxidized silver, which in the process of oxidation is covered with a thin layer of its own oxide. Due to this, it is protected from destructive factors and additionally acquires a characteristic antique appearance.
What is white gold, how to distinguish it from silver?
White gold, which is becoming more popular every day, doesn't really exist. It is nothing but its alloy with nickel, zinc, and sometimes also with palladium that change color. Thanks to them, the material becomes more solid and resistant to damage. Jewelry from it is usually covered with a thin layer of rheo relatives, which gives them additional depth.
The physical properties of white gold may be different because they are due to the content of doping impurities.
There is white, not centered gold that has the right color and radiance. The most popular sample is 0.585 or 14 carats. But such metal quickly dims and protective coatings are erased over time.
