My jewellery looks like Gold, is it really Gold?

Believed to have first been coined in the 12th Century, then popularized by the Bard in the 16th century, and referenced by Tolkien in his 1948 cult classic, the proverbial saying “All that glitters is not gold” rings truer than ever today.

The (confusing) truth is that the colour of the metal does not necessarily have a direct correlation to the actual metal used. 

To use an analogy, the colour of the metal is merely the colour of the paint one has used to paint the house. To understand what the house is made of, one needs to peel off the paint and look underneath to find out if the structure is made of bricks, or concrete, or some other material. In the same thread, a shiny white piece of jewellery does not necessarily mean that it’s made of silver, and instead could be made of platinum or even gold; and conversely, a shiny yellow piece isn’t always gold, it could actually be made of silver, brass, or any other material. The “coat of paint” is often independent of the metal underneath.

“So how do I know if my jewellery that looks like gold is really gold?”

There are several ways to ascertain if your jewellery is really gold. Strictly speaking, one of the most reliable methods would be to get your jewellery tested by an independent, reputable appraiser. However, as the process of assaying (testing) usually involves scratching the jewellery for a sample to test for gold, this may not always be a feasible or preferable method. On the other hand, machines like XRF guns present a testing method that does not damage the metalwork; however, the accuracy of the results varies, as oftentimes, for pieces that are coated with a plating, the machine may read the plating instead of the actual base metal. Perhaps then, the next best, or at the very least, the most straightforward way, is to look at the maker’s mark. In the fine jewellery world, jewellers are required to stamp their creations, clearly indicating the kind of metal used to create the piece.  

We put together this chart to help you read and interpret the maker’s marks on your jewellery, and to better understand what percentage of gold your piece is made of. 

Whilst it is important to note that a maker’s mark (or the absence of it) isn’t always a foolproof way of assessing your jewellery, it generally does make for a good indication. Keep a lookout for it the next time you invest in a piece of jewellery, and if you can’t locate it, don’t hesitate to ask - your jeweller will be more than happy to walk you through the process.