If you have old jewelry sitting in a drawer, you may be surprised by what it is worth. With gold prices at historically high levels, even broken chains, single earrings, damaged rings and other scrap gold can have significant value.
But first you need to answer an important question:
Is it actually real gold?
At Gold Kings, we buy gold, silver, coins, bullion and unwanted jewelry at our Snellville and Commerce, Georgia locations. We professionally test your items, weigh them in front of you and explain what you have before making an offer.
If you’re wondering how to tell if gold is real before visiting a gold buyer, here are five ways to check.
1. Look for a Gold Hallmark
The first place to start is the hallmark.
Most modern gold jewelry has a small stamp indicating its purity. Check the inside of rings, the clasp of necklaces and bracelets, and the backs or posts of earrings.
Common American gold markings include:
- 10K — 41.7% gold
- 14K — 58.5% gold
- 18K — 75% gold
- 22K — 91.7% gold
- 24K — nearly pure gold
You may also see European-style markings such as:
- 417 — 10K
- 585 — 14K
- 750 — 18K
- 916 — 22K
- 999 — approximately 24K
However, a stamp alone does not prove that an item is real gold.
Fake and gold-plated jewelry can sometimes carry misleading markings. The opposite is also true: an older piece, repaired piece or piece made in another country may be genuine gold even though you cannot find a recognizable hallmark.
That is why Gold Kings doesn’t determine the value of an item from its stamp alone.
2. Try the Magnet Test
Gold itself is not magnetic.
If a strong magnet pulls your jewelry aggressively toward it, that’s an indication that the item contains magnetic metals and may not be solid gold.
However, the magnet test has an important limitation:
Passing the magnet test does not prove something is gold.
Many non-gold metals aren’t magnetic either. Clasps and other small components can also contain metal springs even when the jewelry itself is gold.
Think of the magnet test as a quick screening method—not a final answer.
3. Consider an Acid Test
Acid testing has been used by jewelers and gold buyers for generations.
A small area of the item is typically rubbed onto a testing stone and specialized testing acids are used to help determine the approximate karat of the metal.
Different reactions can help an experienced tester distinguish gold from lower-purity metals or gold-plated items.
While home gold-testing kits are available, acids can be hazardous and improper testing can damage jewelry.
For valuable jewelry, coins, bullion or sentimental pieces, professional testing is a much better option.
4. Check the Weight and Density
Gold is remarkably dense.
That’s one reason genuine gold jewelry often feels heavier than similarly sized costume jewelry.
Pure gold has a density of approximately 19.3 grams per cubic centimeter, although jewelry alloys will vary depending on their karat and the other metals mixed with the gold.
Simply dropping jewelry into water isn’t enough to determine whether it is genuine. Many fake metals will sink too.
Professional gold buyers can combine accurate weight measurements with other testing methods to get a much better picture of what an item actually contains.
5. Have Your Gold Professionally Tested
If you really want to know whether your gold is real—and especially if you’re thinking about selling it—professional testing is the best approach.
At Gold Kings, we don’t want customers guessing about what they own.
Our process is simple:
We test it. We weigh it. We pay you.
Gold Kings uses professional testing equipment, including XRF technology, to analyze precious metals. XRF testing can help identify the elemental composition of an item without relying solely on a hallmark or appearance.
That matters because two pieces that look almost identical can have very different gold content—and very different values.
Where Can I Sell Gold Near Me?
If you’ve been searching Google for “sell gold near me,” “gold buyers near me,” “cash for gold near me,” “sell scrap gold near me,” or “where can I sell gold?”, Gold Kings has two Georgia locations where you can bring your items for professional testing and an offer.
Gold Kings of Snellville
Serving Snellville, Lawrenceville, Loganville, Stone Mountain and surrounding Gwinnett County communities.
Gold Kings of Snellville
3635 Stone Mountain Hwy
Snellville, GA 30039
Phone: 770-771-4650
Gold Kings of Commerce
Located in The Shoppes at Banks Crossing, our Commerce location serves Commerce, Banks County and surrounding Northeast Georgia communities.
Gold Kings of Commerce
480 Banks Crossing Dr
Commerce, GA 30529
Phone: 706-336-0043
Bring your unwanted gold, silver, coins, bullion and jewelry to either Gold Kings location. We test it. We weigh it. We pay you.
What Kind of Gold Does Gold Kings Buy?
Don’t throw away or overlook jewelry simply because it is broken, tangled, old or out of style.
Gold Kings buys many types of precious-metal items, including:
- Gold rings
- Gold necklaces and chains
- Gold bracelets
- Gold earrings
- Broken gold jewelry
- Scrap gold
- 10K, 14K, 18K and 22K gold
- Gold coins
- Gold bullion
- Sterling silver
- Silver coins and bullion
- Unwanted precious-metal jewelry
In many cases, the condition matters far less than the precious-metal content.
Don’t Assume It’s Fake—or Real
One of the biggest mistakes people make is deciding what something is based only on its appearance.
We’ve seen jewelry that people assumed was worthless turn out to contain real precious metal. We’ve also seen items stamped or presented as gold that required further testing to determine what they actually contained.
That’s why professional testing matters.
If you’re unsure about an item, bring it to Gold Kings rather than guessing.
We’ll test it, weigh it and explain what you have.
Looking for a Gold Buyer Near You?
If you’re ready to sell gold for cash, visit Gold Kings in Snellville or Commerce, Georgia.
Whether you have one broken ring or an entire collection of jewelry, coins or bullion, you’re welcome to bring it in for evaluation.
Gold Kings
We test it. We weigh it. We pay you.
