How to Check Gold Purity at Home: 7 Simple Tests Before You Visit a Jeweller
Learn 7 practical ways to test whether your gold jewelry is real and check its purity (22K, 18K, or fake) at home without any special equipment.
Why You Should Test Gold at Home
Whether you inherited old jewelry, bought gold online, or just want peace of mind before exchanging ornaments, knowing how to do a quick purity check at home saves you a trip to the jeweller. These tests are not lab-grade, but they help you spot obvious fakes and get a rough sense of karat before you walk into a shop.
1. Look for the Hallmark Stamp
Every piece of gold sold by a BIS-certified jeweller in India is required to carry a hallmark. Look for a small stamp — usually on the inner band of a ring, the clasp of a chain, or the back of an earring. Common stamps:
- 916 = 22 Karat (91.6% pure gold)
- 750 = 18 Karat (75% pure gold)
- 375 = 9 Karat
If you see "KDM" without a BIS logo, the piece was likely made before 2021 when KDM soldering was common but not hallmarked. Absence of a stamp does not mean the gold is fake, but it is the first red flag.
2. The Magnet Test
Gold is not magnetic. Hold a strong magnet (a fridge magnet is usually too weak — use a neodymium magnet) near the jewelry. If it sticks or gets pulled toward the magnet, the piece contains iron or nickel and is either fake or heavily alloyed.
Limitation: Some non-magnetic metals like copper and brass also fail to attract magnets, so passing this test does not prove purity — it only catches the worst fakes.
3. The Ceramic Scratch Test
Drag the piece gently across an unglazed ceramic tile (like the back of a bathroom tile). Real gold leaves a gold-coloured streak. Fake gold or gold-plated items leave a dark or black streak.
Be careful — this will leave a tiny scratch on your jewelry.
4. The Float Test
Drop the piece into a glass of water. Gold is dense (19.3 g/cm³). Real gold sinks immediately and sits flat on the bottom. If the item floats, hovers mid-water, or sinks very slowly, it is likely hollow or made of a lighter metal.
This does not tell you the karat, but it catches plated or hollow fakes.
5. The Skin Discoloration Test
Wear the jewelry on your skin for a few hours. Pure gold and high-karat alloys (22K) do not react with skin. If the piece leaves a green, black, or dark mark on your skin, it likely has a high copper or nickel content — meaning it is either low-karat or fake.
Note: Some people's skin chemistry causes reactions even with real gold, so use this test in combination with others.
6. The Nitric Acid Test (Use With Caution)
Gold testing kits are available on Amazon for under ₹500. They contain nitric acid solutions for different karats. You scratch a tiny mark on a testing stone and apply the acid:
- No reaction = real gold at or above the karat level of the acid
- Green fizz = fake or base metal
- Milky reaction = gold-plated silver
This is the most reliable home test, but handle acid carefully and test in a ventilated area.
7. The Weight and Size Comparison
If you have a piece whose purity you trust (say, a hallmarked 22K bangle from a branded jeweller), compare it side by side with the questionable piece. Gold is heavy — a 22K bangle will feel noticeably heavier than a same-size brass or copper bangle. If two similar-looking pieces have very different weights, something is off.
When to Go to a Professional
Home tests give you a good first filter, but they cannot tell you the exact karat. For that, you need:
- XRF testing — A non-destructive X-ray test offered by most large jewellers and hallmarking centres. Costs ₹100–200.
- BIS Hallmarking Centre — If you need a certified report for insurance or resale.
Before exchanging old gold at a Kerala jeweller, use our Old Gold Exchange Calculator to estimate your net value after melting loss. And check today's rate on LiveGold Kerala so you walk in informed.