How to distinguish white gold from silver?

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

To get gold or silver in its pure form is possible only in the laboratory. Natural nuggets have a lot of impurities, and they are very soft.

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

Silver has several advantages, the main of which is its affordable price. Given the large selection, you can always find exactly the product you want. In addition, it is believed that this metal has healing properties. It relieves stress, heals and cleanses a person.

But, in addition to its advantages, this metal has a significant drawback, namely, darkening (oxidation). Because of this, wearing it every day will not work at least during an illness or stressful situations. But if there is a desire in his constant wear, you will have to very often clean the product.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 it can be worn constantly.

Silver and white gold can be recognized by eye if you put both of these metals in front of you and carefully consider them. So you can see the small differences. The first is that a ligature is included in the white gold alloy, which gives this metal a more distinct white luster that silver does not have. This method of verification is simple, but not always relevant, because it applies only to products that are not covered by radium, which gives silver a bright white color.

White gold looks as if it has a glossy varnish coating, while silver has a matte finish. Gold has many subtle differences that are unusual for silver. Even if, under bright lighting of the store shelves, these 2 metals are absolutely similar 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 particular product is made. For this you only need a piece of paper and a specific piece of jewelry that needs to be identified. Hard gold alloy does not harm soft paper, and its surface will remain white. If the product is made of silver, then its soft alloy will leave a mark on a sheet of paper.

When you have a product in your hands and you want to make sure of its quality, you can do this at home in several ways. To do this, you will need a second decoration of the necessary metal to see the differences in the reactions.

For the next experiment, you will need regular iodine. It is necessary 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, since iodine is one of the few substances with which this precious metal reacts.

This method is relevant for metals of different hardness, because you need to hear a clear difference in sounds or have an absolute hearing. To conduct this experiment, you will need to throw the jewelry on a hard surface. Silver will make a dull sound, and gold will ring.

To better hear the difference, you need jewelry without stones and the same weight. The surface must be solid. It is best if it is a ceramic countertop, glass, tile.

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

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

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

Gold can be checked by its density. Sample 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 gold samples 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 particular product. To do this, you first need to weigh the accessory on the scales, 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 into the second - and you get the density.

In order not to think about coatings and not to doubt your own rightness, it is best to look at the sample. Each piece of jewelry has its own breakdown, thanks to which you can precisely determine what kind of product it is.

Each metal has its own special form of stigma, with the exception of some samples. The stigma of silver has the form of a barrel, and the most popular value of the test is 925. Gold has a stigma in the shape of a rectangle, and sometimes it can be in the form of a scapula. The sample 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 differences between the metals described and will not conduct experiments at home, but still you need to buy a quality item, then use these simple tips to help you when choosing a jewelry.

• Buy goods only in large jewelry stores with many years of successful reputation. In such institutions there is very little chance of running into a fake or low-quality product.
• Handmade products are much more difficult to fake than a factory stamped product, although they cost several times more. Such a product is considered a true exclusive.
• Take a magnifying glass with you - it will help you consider the sample on the product, since it is not always possible to see and understand the shape of the mark.

See how to distinguish white gold from silver in the following video.