There are many materials used in jewelry that are designed to look like gold but aren’t nearly as valuable. If you’re interested in selling these pieces, it’s important to note that pawn shops will likely only be interested in purchasing jewelry that contains real precious metals. Though gold-plated and heavy gold electroplated jewelry may look pretty, these pieces aren’t worth the same amount as authentic gold. Before you head to the pawn shop, follow this guide to determine jewelry authenticity.  

Your Guide to Determining if Jewelry is Authentic Gold

How Can You Check at Home?

Most authentic gold jewelry has a label on it called the hallmark. The hallmark is a small indentation hidden somewhere on the piece, such as on the clasp of a necklace or the underside of a ring. This mark — a number with the letter “K” after it — will tell you the karat weight of the piece. Karats are calculated out of 24 parts, so 24 karat gold is 100% pure, while 10 karat gold is 42% pure. If your jewelry is European, the hallmark will be a decimal telling you the purity of the gold, such as .999 (99.9% pure).

What Will an Appraiser Check?

When you take your jewelry to the pawn shop, they will also test its purity in order to give you an appropriate offer. Most shops use a nitric acid kit, which involves scraping off a small amount of the metal, then applying nitric acid to the shavings. Real gold will not react to this chemical, while other materials will change the color of the acid.

Waipahu-Hawaii Pawn in Oahu makes it easy to sell your broken or unwanted gold pieces. They offer cash for jewelry on the spot or will accept it as collateral for short-term loans. Their friendly and knowledgeable staff will make the selling or pawning process easy and enjoyable. For more information on their services, visit their website, or call them at (808) 671-6555 to speak with a friendly associate today.