Some prefer buying expensive jewelry because of their quality. But with fake manufacturers on the rise, knowing whether the piece of accessory you’ve bought is genuine or fake can be challenging.
One way of knowing that jewelry pieces are fake is through their price. If the deal is too good, think twice. Cheap pieces may look great initially, but after a short period, they may crack or fade. So if you intend to buy drop earrings or other types of accessories, you need to know how to identify face jewelry. This article gives you some tips for doing that.
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Check The Hallmark
Most countries have regulations for hallmarking jewelry. A hallmark can help you to identify the purity of the metals used in manufacturing jewelry. Because manufacturers know that identifying metal purity is difficult, they brand them using hallmarks to help you know if they’re genuine.
Different metals have different hallmarks that may vary depending on the country and manufacturers. Fortunately, you can find hallmark information for different metals on the internet. That way, when you buy jewelry, you’ll only need to compare the information you have with that of the jewelry item.
The numbers of your accessory choice should be easy to read. If they’re not, it would be best not to buy the item. Gold hallmarks range from 375 to 999, while platinum hallmarks range from 850 to 999. Silver hallmarks span from 800-999. Hallmarks with higher numbers mean that the jewels are manufactured from pure metals.
Examine The Quality
Most low-quality items have offers and huge discounts. While it’s good to take advantage of such offers, you want to ensure that your jewelry’s construction is on point. The links of necklaces and bracelets shouldn’t be pinched together but should have a solid and smooth look.
In jewelry items with stones, confirm if the stone is set and mounted correctly. It’s easy to assume they’re genuine, though a closer look may show you that the stones have been glued instead of being mounted.
Platinum and silver jewelry may closely resemble. So it may be challenging to differentiate rings or bracelets made from silver or platinum. However, low-quality metals may be flexible compared to high-quality metals.
Use Chalk, Vinegar, And Iodine
You can use chalk to check whether an accessory made of silver is genuine. If, after rubbing the jewelry with chalk, it starts to darken, it’s made from real silver. If it doesn’t darken, the silver may be fake. Iodine and vinegar can be used to identify genuine and fake golden pieces.
Golden accessories that stain when smeared with iodine may be fake or may be composed of alloys. When iodine is used in genuine platinum items, they’ll change to a darker color. Vinegar can also help you to identify fake gold easily. To know if a golden piece of jewelry is genuine, dip it in a glass of vinegar and let it stay for about five minutes. Items that darken in the vinegar are fake.
Final Words
Genuine jewelry will give you value for your money and add beauty to your outfit. But before you carry an accessory out of a store, you need to confirm if it’s genuine. That way, you’ll prevent yourself from wasting time going back to the store to seek a replacement.
